Mr and Mrs in top Scouts role

For in a UK first for Scouting, a husband-and-wife team have been appointed as joint County Commissioners.

Chris Bent, 51, and Frances Craven, 49, are the new couple at the top.

And Frances is the first non-Scout to take on the role.

Starting as they mean to go on, the couple put together a joint statement.

“Our joint operation is a modern approach to Scouting and allows us to bring a mix of management styles to the role,” they said.

“We are determined to continue the good work of previous County Commissioner John Duley, who has moved to Cheshire and continues his Scouting in the north west.

“There are 6,000 Scouts and leaders out there and our vision is to focus on the needs of the young people and give them lots of fun, adventure and challenges.”

Chris, an IT programme manager with the Royal Bank of Scotland, was a Cub Scout and a Scout during the 1970s in Nottinghamshire.

He later came to Bedfordshire and became a Group Scout Leader and then county training manager.

Frances does not have a background in Scouting or Guiding.

But she has lots of experience in working with young people, both as a teacher and as an educational psychologist.

She is assistant director for Leicestershire County Council’s children and young people’s service, and is studying for her fourth degree.

Chris and Frances both love the great outdoors, and are members of the Long Distance Walkers Association.

They are looking forward to taking on a testing challenge in the Endurance 80, next March.

This arduous 24-hour cross-country trek takes in 50 miles of rugged terrain in the Chiltern Hills.

They will start out from Great Missenden for the challenge, organised by Buckinghamshire Scouts.

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