Scout leader retires after 20 years

Jun 26 2008 by Alastair McNeill

AN Uddingston scout leader has retired after almost 20 years with the group.

Jean Dunsmuir joined 2nd Uddingston Scouts in the late 80s when there were only a handful of boys in the organisation and interest in the movement was low.

However, it has now grown to around 35 members.

The 59-year-old has been 2nd Uddingston Scout leader since 1989.

“Jean has been an inspiration to generations of boys giving selflessly of herself constantly since 1977, except for a short break when her son Kenneth was born,” said a parent whose sons have attended the scouts over the years.

“She’s an incredible lady who has given up her time for the organisation.”

Jean, of Croftwynd, married her husband Sutherland in Bellshill in 1975, and was involved with the Brownies there before joining 2nd Uddingston scouts.

She is a former pupil of Bellshill’s Belvedere Primary School and Bellshill Academy.

After leaving school Jean worked in Goldberg’s in Glasgow, Henderson’s Knitwear in Hamilton and Anderson Boyce in Motherwell.

Jean currently works as a carer with South Lanarkshire and currently has 25-years service.

l Second Uddingston Scouts were also presented with a cheque recently from Paterson’s of Greenoakhill for the refurbishment of the Scout hall.