Fast tracks and posthumous Awards

Every situation is taken on a case-by-case basis but in the past, awards have been fast tracked due:

• Unexpected terminal illness
• Unexpected retirement
• Unexpected special occasions
• Unexpected location move

If you’re requesting an award to be fast tracked, you must first follow the normal process for that award.

For lower Good Service awards:

• The relevant nomination form must be completed, and the award approved locally
• The decision must then be submitted using the Good Service award completion form
• Then email the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team* to request a fast track

For higher Good Service awards, Meritorious Conduct and Gallantry awards as well as the Cornwell Scout Badge and the Chief Scout’s Personal Award (where the award decisions are made by the National Awards Advisory Group)

• The relevant nomination form must be completed and supported locally
• Then email the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team* with the nomination form and request it to be fast tracked

For Length of Service awards:

• Check Compass to ensure the member has the correct Length of Service for the award being requested
• And then email the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team* to request the fast track

For Wood Badges:

• Check Compass to ensure the Wood Badge has been recommended
• And then email the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team* to request the fast track

*When emailing the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team with a fast track request, make sure you:

• Start the subject of the email with ‘URGENT’
• Provide a detailed explanation as to why you’re requesting the fast track
• Confirm if there is a specific date the award is required for
• Confirm who you want the awards items sent to if everything is approved

Every situation is taken on a case-by-case basis, but it will generally be declined if:

• You just forgot to submit it in time for the normal deadline.
• The nominee doesn’t meet the criteria of the award.
• The award doesn’t have the correct local support/approval.
• The Wood Badge hasn’t been recommended on Compass.
• If the situation isn’t deemed to be exceptional enough to warrant a fast track

Generally, if everything is okay with the submission, the UK Headquarters Scout Awards Team aim for award items to be delivered locally* within one week of a fast track request being received by email however, this will also depend on:

• How urgent the request is
• The current workload of the Awards Team
• How often the Awards Team is in the office that week
• If a decision needs to be made by the National Awards Advisory Group or not
• If there are any queries raised concerning the nomination

(*If required however, a digital version of the certificate can be emailed out if the postal delivery will not arrive in time.)