BRADFORD’S Scouts, Beavers and Cubs took to the streets in the city centre today for the St George’s Day Parade.

The parade marched from Centenary Square towards Bradford Cathedral in Stott Hill for the St George’s Day service, before marching back to the centre of the city.

Large crowds including proud parents lined the streets and filled Centenary Square to watch the parade, and on its return from the Cathedral, the Scouts were greeted by the Lord Mayor of Bradford Councillor Abid Hussain.

The Lord Mayor saluted the district’s Scouts as they filed into Centenary Square.

This year saw the 65th Group Shelf Scouts section in the parade led by six-year-old Jaxon Green-Moore, from Queensbury, who suffers from the rare heart condition LEOPARD Syndrome, which is thought to only affect 200 people across the world.

The Northowram Primary School pupil was their flag-bearer and led them parade through the city streets, accompanied by instrumentalists and other Scouting groups.

MORE TOP STORIES

Six-year-old Jaxon is also an ambassador for Leeds-based charity Heart Research UK, which is the chosen charity of Bradford South Scouts.

His condition affects the skin, face and heart, and as a result he suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where the muscles in the heart wall become thick and stiff, and pulmonary stenosis, a narrowing of the pulmonary valve which pumps blood from the heart to the lungs.

Barbara Harpham, chief executive at Heart Research UK, said “We’re so proud of our little star Jaxon for carrying the flag.

“He’s been an inspiration to other youngsters with heart problems.

“We’re really grateful that he encouraged Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to support Heart Research UK. Everything raised will be spent in Bradford to help people live healthier, happier and longer lives.”

Alison Walton, acting district commissioner for Bradford South Scouts, added: “It was a fantastic day, we had about 800 people on parade.

“We wanted to get the children thinking about helping others, and managed to raise £930 for Heart Research UK and lots of children also brought tins of food for the food banks.

“Helping others is a really important part of Scouting.”

St George’s Day falls on April 23. Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boys Scout Association and Girl Guides, chose St George to be the patron saint of Scouting.