DEDICATED Scouts, Cubs and leaders gathered in freezing temperatures on Poole Quay for a service to mark Lord Baden-Powell’s birthday.

Around 50 Scouts from Poole and Hamworthy braved the weather for the annual Founder’s Day service, marking the birth of the father of the modern Scout movement.

The service, which takes place yearly at the Scout memorial looking out to Brownsea Island, was attended by Mayor of Poole, Cllr Carol Evans.

Founder’s Day is a crucial event in the Scouting calendar when members renew their promise, reaffirming their commitment to the core values of the movement.

Poole District Scout Council chairman Brian Woolgar said he was delighted with the turnout considering the perishing temperatures.

He assisted the mayor in laying a laurel wreath around the neck of the sculpture of Lord Baden-Powell before he read the Scout Hymn.

His Scout Active Support colleague, Rocky Friberg, then led the group in prayer, before the short service was concluded.

Brian said: “We’ve been doing this here since 2008.

“We felt we had to do something being as Poole is so important to the history of Scouting.

“Having that sculpture there we thought it was the right thing to do.

“It’s always a popular event and is very well supported.”

Brownsea Island was the scene of the first experimental Scout camp and was where Baden Powell started the movement with 20 boys.

Today there are believed to be more than 30million scouts worldwide.