The Order of the Baobab in Silver

Herbert William Garnet De La Hunt Awarded for:

His tireless and excellent work in the service of promoting the South African Scouts movement locally and abroad and demonstrating the spirit of volunteerism.

Profile of Herbert William Garnet De La Hunt

Having dedicated most of his life to community development work through the South African Scouts Movement, Herbert William Garnet De La Hunt, is a prime example of volunteerism. De La Hunt was born on 25 August 1933. He joined the scouts as a young boy and remained a dedicated member ever since. As a teenager aged 18, he received the King Scout badge, which is the highest obtainable award for a scout at that age.

He was elected Provincial Commissioner for the Western Cape in 1980, and used the opportunity to actively promote programmes of the single unified non-racial South Africa Scout Movement despite the politics of the day.

In 1996, De La Hunt was elected as a member of the World Scout Committee (WSC) for a six-year term at the 34th World Scout Conference held in Oslo Norway. During this time, he successfully presented the South Africa Scout Association’s bid to host the 35th Conference in 1999. In his first three-year term, he played an important role in the finance and support group of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement/World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts working group. He also joined the World Scout Foundation.

Among his numerous contributions to the World Scout Foundation as a chairman of the World Scout Committee, his involvement in the Mafikeng Centennial event and the inauguration of the Scout Centres of Excellence for Nature and Environment (SCENE) stand out as highlights. His constant contribution to improve the relationship between the World Organisation for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGS) and World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM) is indelible. He added a special dimension in his personal contribution as a man of deep faith to all matters related to spirituality in and out of Scouting.