THOUSANDS of Scouts across Dorset will take part in parades this weekend to commemorate St George’s Day.

The popular annual event will take place on Sunday in Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Wareham.

Children and their adult volunteers who are who are part of the Scouting Association will parade through the streets joined by their families watched on by members of the public in honour of the Patron Saint of Scouting and England.

The parades will take place the day before St George's Day on Monday.

The Bournemouth parade will start at 10am from Durley Chine clifftop. It will then move down the clifftop behind the BIC and through Pier Approach, past Hot Rocks café before coming to an end in Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens.

Participants will then congregate in front of the bandstand.

Poole’s parade will start at 2pm on Poole Quay and will see Scouts make their way down the Quay and past the bronze statue of Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the scouting movement.

Robert Baden Powell established the first scout camp on Brownsea Island in August 1907 with the sculpture on Poole Quay unveiled in 2008.

A ceremony will then take place at the old lifeboat station where Scouts will renew their Scout Promise.

Ragen Bartaby, district commissioner for Poole Scouts, has been involved as an adult volunteer for around the last 16 years.

He said: "Scouting is still very much alive and kicking in Dorset. Scouting makes better young people."

He added: "Scouting has changed with the times, which is down to its success. We've changed with the communities around us."

Christchurch’s parade will also take place from 2pm starting at the Quomps before it makes its way to Christchurch Priory for a special service.

Around 400 Scouts and Guides took part in the Christchurch event last year.