Mr de Carteret joined the scouts in 1986 when he was five years old

Ben de Carteret, 23, was presented with the Queen's Scout Award at a ceremony on Wednesday hosted by the island's Lieutenant Governor.

Mr de Carteret, who is a leader for the 12th Guernsey Scout Group, says he has been working towards achieving this recognition for the past seven years.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "I had to complete a whole load of tasks."

"I don't think I'd be the person I am today if it weren't for scouting.

It's great to know there are still people willing to give their service freely in an age where volunteering is not as popular as it used to be Bailiwick Scout Commisioner Richard Leale

"The help and the guidance the association gives is enormous. It encourages you to push to better yourself. Becoming a leader myself was a way of giving something back."

Many of the tasks that Mr de Carteret carried out in preparation for the award took place in Thailand where he spent six months trekking through mountains and jungles.

"I also spent time working as a guide and I trained to become a diving instructor," he said. "It all goes towards the final assessment."

Lovely gesture

Seven other scouts were also commended at Wednesday's ceremony and Bailiwick Scout Commisioner Richard Leale said it made him very proud.

"It was a lovely gesture to reward these scouts for their efforts and service," he said.

"It's great to know there are still people willing to give their service freely in an age where volunteering is not as popular as it used to be. The scouts at the ceremony represented 120 years of combined service."