Lifetime of scouting brings MBE for Tony - The Leamington Observer

Lifetime of scouting brings MBE for Tony

Leamington Editorial 16th Jun, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

A LIFETIME champion of scouting who founded WAGS Gang Show has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Tony Guy was honoured the for Services to Scouting in Blackpool and Warwickshire having been involved with the scouting movement some 70 years ago.

Tony – an Ambassador for Scouting in Warwickshire and a Director of WAGS Gang Show – joined 20th Blackpool Scouts some in the mid 1940s and has been actively involved ever since.

He received his Queen’s Scout Award in 1954 and represented West Lancashire at the St George’s Day Parade at Windsor Castle in the presence of the Queen.




As a Rover Scout he was Chairman of the Blackpool Bowler Hat Brigade and started the Blackpool Gang Show in 1961, a show which has run continuously for 54 years. He went on to produce the Warrington and North East Lancashire Gang Shows.

In 1971 Tony moved to Warwickshire and started the Warwickshire Gang Show (WAGS), and a decade later he led 400 Scouts and leaders to stage WAGS Gang Show in Dallas and Forth Worth, Texas, which featured in a TV Documentary Dallas or Bust.


On their return they also performed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre annually for three years.

The now 77 year-old continued to produce the show for 25 years when he handed over to a new team – but continues to be responsible for promoting WAGS as Business Director.

Tony also served as Chairman of the County Scout Executive Committee, becoming Ambassador for Scouting Warwickshire in 2012. He has now taken on the responsibilities as County Communication Manager, developing Communications and Media for Scouting throughout Warwickshire.

In 2005 he was awarded the highest Scouting award, the Silver Wolf and a 50 year Long Service Award in 2013.

Tony said: “Being in Scout Gang Shows it is great to see the youngsters develop, gain confidence and go on to achieve greater things in their lives.

“Some of the members of the Gang have gone on to work in the theatre in the West End and one has become the lighting director for one of the National touring shows”

Tony has been married to Joyce for 54 years. The couple, who have three children, Darren, David and Alison, and young granddaughter Charlotte, live in a 200 year-old lockkeeper’s cottage near Henley.

* A number of other people from the area were honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Choral Conductor Simon Halsey from Warwick was awarded a CBE for services to Music.

Warwick resident Judith Lowe, deputy chair of Construction Industry Training Board, was honoured with an OBE for services to the Construction Industry, particularly women in the construction industry.

Swimming volunteer Alan Bartlett from Shipston was awarded an MBE for services to swimming, and President of the Football Safety Officers’ Association James Chalmers, from Stratford, also received an MBE for services to Safety at Sports Grounds.

Michael Palmer, who lives in Rownington, and is Chairman of the Waterway Recovery Group, was awarded an MBE for for voluntary service to the restoration of British waterways.

Ashorne resident Hilary Ledbrook received a BEM for services to the community.

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