John Feuillade

John Feuillade was a man of many parts and in whatever area he served, like a good scout, he “did his best” and was greatly appreciated.

John’s scouting career began as a youth in Balham, London, continued as an adult leader when he moved to Crawley, Sussex and finally when he moved to Tadley with his family in the 1950’s he joined the then 26^th Basingstoke Scout Group, later to become Tadley Scout Group. John was a Chartered Mechanical Engineer at AWE Aldermaston where he remained until he retired.

In the Scout Movement John held many positions, in the Tadley Scout Group first as Scout Leader, later as Group Scout Leader, and in the l980’s he was an active and well respected District Commissioner for Silchester Scout District. When he retired from active leadership at the age of 65, which was a requirement at that time, he took on the position of Silchester District Secretary, a post he held, apart from two years as Assistant District Commissioner, until his death in 2010.

With Mike Broad, John was a founder member of the Calleva Life Saving Club in October 1970. This gave the opportunity for scouts and guides to train for Royal Life Saving Society awards at the Hurst School outdoor pool. These awards would help them to gain Duke of Edinburgh Awards and guide and scout badges. The club later moved from being a summer activity to pools in Basingstoke for forty weeks of the year. He became a qualified R.L.S.S. Trainer/Assessor and was still examining scouts and guides for their RLSS awards until a couple of years ago when standing for any length of time became too difficult.

When the Calleva Lifeguard Club was formed as an adjunct to the Life Saving Club to allow older scouts and guides to learn boat handling and open water rescue skills as part of the Thames Rescue Service, John with other scout leaders, trained through the TRS as an Instructor and gained his Royal Yacht Association Sports Boat Certificate with Rescue Boat Endorsement. Using the Calleva Lifeguard Club’s Del Quay Dory sports boat he passed on his knowledge to the younger members during the Club’s TRS duties. The Thames Rescue Service provided rescue cover at various places on the River Thames at weekends during the summer.

The Scout Association awarded John the Medal of Merit in 1978 and a Bar to his Medal Merit in 1991. In 2006 he was presented with his 50 years service award.

John had many other hobbies and interests, archaeology, history, gardening, swimming, sailing, windsurfing, painting, walking his corgis, reading and learning.

For many months during his retirement he battled his way back from being almost completely paralysed, a paralysis caused by an abcess on his spine, to almost complete independence and continued with his previous activities.

John Feuillade – a life of service, freely given to all ages – a father to be proud of for Ros, Robert and Vanessa and a super grandfather to his four grandsons and great-grandson.

Ann Broad.

June 2010.

Remembering…. John Feuillade 1931-2010