Area Team - People

I started my Scouting life as a Cub Leader before changing to Beaver Scout Leader and was one of the first groups in Warrington to start the section.  I have held many roles in Warrington and Cheshire at Group, District and County Level.

Outside of Scouting I am a trustee for a dog fundraising team who raise funds for Spaniels all over the world.  This is all done online using Facebook.  I am also a member of Rock Choir and have joined Rock & Sign where we are learning to sign the songs we learn at choir so that next year when out on gigs we can sign to our audience.

Irina pioneered BSO’s Online Training Team in the midst of the start of the pandemic in March 2020 alongside her husband, Jos, and fellow Scouters Nilesh and Bob. She looks after the content and delivery of BSO’s interactive online training of the Getting Started and Section Leader modules, Module 10A First Aid and the Support Topics.

Irina is currently also AESL with Sonian Explorers, ASL in 1st Brussels and Training Adviser. She is wood-badged in all 4 sections as a leader and in her other roles and has also previously started a Cub Pack with her husband in Central Brussels.

Professionally, Irina is a Legal Adviser in Data Protection, having also contributed to the information round of the draft legislation which finally led to GDPR. Together, she and Jos have 3 children – the youngest looking forward to becoming a Squirrel!

Besides being Section Leader in Scouts and Explorers, and previously in Beavers and Cubs, as well as volunteering in almost all sections in 3 groups in Belgium, Jos is now also a BSO Trainer and Local Training Manager.

“As a Leader seeing young people grow from Beavers to Cubs to Scouts to Explorers to Young Leaders to Leaders, to be part of that helping others, is simply amazing. The Young People still surprise me every day, every meeting, …”

He is married to Irina Krishnan who is also active in Scouting and together, they have 3 children.

I’m Reuben, I’m from Scotland and I’ve recently moved to the Netherlands to start the next chapter in my life.

Scouting has always been a massive part of my life since I was a wee cub in my local village to, becoming an explorer leader in Glasgow. I’ve been a leader now for 8 years working mostly with explorers and training young leaders. I can’t wait to help deliver YL to BSO and give the next generation of young people the skills they need to become the best leaders possible.

 I have been all over the world with scouting and now have friends all in all sorts of places. I’ve been to loads of jamborees, but my favourite will always be Blair Atholl jamborette in Scotland. Scout camp is truly my favourite place to be, and you will always find me at campfire singing at the top of my voice!

I spend almost all my free time outside on one of my many hobbies such as: skating boarding, wakeboarding, snowboarding, slacklining or climbing.