{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Mike Carr, Scouts volunteer","standfirst":"Mike, known by his Scouts as Buzz, is a skills instructor and a former Beaver volunteer who\u2019s been on an extraordinary journey.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003ENot only did Mike once find himself in the lead at the World Sailing Championships, he\u2019s lived in Australia, Germany and Portugal. He\u2019s also carved out a successful career as a technical illustrator and found out he was adopted at the age of nine.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf that\u2019s not amazing enough, he did all this with \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/\u0022\u003Edyslexia\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHe shares his inspirational story with us.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19640/michaels-buzz-lightyear-necker.jpg","width":712,"height":726,"altText":"Mike\u0027s Buzz Lightyear figure is hanging from his woggle on his green and navy necker.","caption":"I wear my Buzz Lightyear figure on my necker, after my Beavers nicknamed me \u0027Buzz\u0027","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EMy name\u2019s Mike, but my Scout name is Buzz. My \u003Ca href=\u0022/beavers/\u0022 title=\u0022Beavers\u0022\u003EBeavers\u003C/a\u003E gave me this name. I even have a Buzz Lightyear toy on my neckerchief to remind anyone who forgets.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESometimes, I\u2019ll run into someone in the supermarket, perhaps a former Beaver who\u2019s now grown as tall as me, who says: \u2018Hey Buzz!\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s a great feeling knowing they still remember me.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EOne of the family\u00A0\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a child, I was placed for adoption and my birth name was annulled. I was adopted by a family who wanted more children, but thought they couldn\u2019t have any more. However, two years after they adopted me, an unexpected baby brother came along. If he\u2019d arrived earlier, my life would be very different.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI grew up with one older brother, and one younger. We did a lot of sports together, and no one would\u2019ve known I\u2019d been adopted. We really enjoyed each other\u2019s company.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt wasn\u2019t until I was nine years old that my parents told me I was adopted.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe were on a family day trip and outside the civic hall when my mum innocently said, \u2018Look at that building, Michael. We picked you up from there.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe parked at the side of the road so my mum could explain everything. I remember the moment so clearly. It probably wasn\u2019t the best moment to find out, but it just came out.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI recall looking at my brothers and questioning my belonging. Thankfully,\u00A0those thoughts faded quickly, as the bond between us was so strong. I\u2019ve always felt and been treated like a blood brother and son, which made me feel special.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003ESetbacks at school\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt school, my dyslexia started to show. I struggled with my reading, writing, comprehension, and conversation. Reading out loud was torture, especially hearing all the sniggering and comments.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAcademic work was never going to be one of my strong points, so my parents always encouraged me to get involved in things I was naturally good at, such as sports and practical, outdoor activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI joined \u003Ca href=\u0022/cubs/\u0022 title=\u0022Cubs\u0022\u003ECubs\u003C/a\u003E when I was nine, after we\u2019d lived abroad for four years in \u003Cspan\u003ERiyadh, Saudi Arabia\u003C/span\u003E. When we came back, the local District Commissioner asked my dad to help set up a Sea Scout Group in Falmouth. Of course, I went along too.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19620/michael-and-his-friend-on-his-boat.jpg","width":1024,"height":689,"altText":"Mike\u0027s sat on a rowing boat on the water with orange sails, along with a friend. They\u0027re both wearing life jackets and turning towards the camera.","caption":"This was my first boat that was also used as a Scout boat (BrmBrm was a take on my surname, Carr)","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EWhy Scouts worked\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts was great for me, because it was about \u2018doing,\u2019 rather than writing or reading. Suddenly, I was on level playing field. I could thrive and show my real potential. The knowledge, self-belief, and\u00A0sense of belonging\u00A0Scouts gave me a real sense of accomplishment, as I struggled with my school work.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt was very diverse group, with no one looking down on others or putting them aside. I made lots of friends, and still see many of them today.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe did so many activities and I learned to sail quickly. We also did physical and practical things that I really enjoyed, like rowing and paddling.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI learned lots of nautical skills. Technical skills came quite naturally to me, and I was able to show other Scouts those skills too. All of this helped to restore my confidence. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EPlain sailing\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the winter, we did \u2018land activities,\u2019 just like other \u003Ca href=\u0022/scouts/\u0022 title=\u0022Scouts\u0022\u003EScouts\u003C/a\u003E. But in the summer, it was all about \u003Ca href=\u0022/scouts/activity-badges/water-activities/\u0022 title=\u0022Water Activities\u0022\u003Egoing on the water\u003C/a\u003E. For our summer camp, we used to row and sail the boats across the bay to the Helford Passage.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom Cubs and Scouts, I went onto Venture Scouts (now called \u003Ca href=\u0022/explorers/\u0022 title=\u0022Explorers\u0022\u003EExplorer Scouts\u003C/a\u003E), and took part in even more adventurous things. We did the Ten Tors Challenge and the \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/running-your-section/programme-guidance/the-duke-of-edinburghs-award/\u0022 title=\u0022The Duke of Edinburgh\u0027s Award\u0022\u003EDuke of Edinburgh\u2019s Award\u003C/a\u003E. Thanks to these, I did a sailing expedition, boat restoration, coastguard training and my residential at the national sailing centre doing race training.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy parents always encouraged me. If one thing didn\u2019t work out for me, they\u2019d suggest I try something else. Mum even sold her treasured sports car so we\u2019d have a car to tow the boat to all the regattas.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy father sadly passed away. He hugely influenced of my love of the water and adventure. My mum, Pat, is still my number one cheerleader. She\u2019s always liked to give back. She started the Mencap Centre in Falmouth, opened by Lord Sebastian Coe, and she won the National Carer of the Year award in 1988. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19621/michael-at-scout-summer-camp-on-the-helford-passage.jpg","width":2987,"height":1875,"altText":"The photo shows a beach with lots of rowing boats on the sand and in the water. There are people in the distance gathered around the boats.","caption":"Boats on the beach at a typical summer camp on the Helford passage.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003ESpreading my wings\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of this encouraged me to spread my wings, so I went to Australia when I was 19 on a working holiday visa. Based in Sydney, I travelled the whole of the east coast, including the Great Barrier Reef. It was extraordinary to see this part of the world.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring my travels, I met an Australian sailor. We teamed up and qualified to be part of the Australian sailing team in the 505 Class.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe took part in the National Championships of Germany, Denmark and Sweden as part of our team training before the World Championships in Felixstowe, where we finished in the top third. We were in the lead at one point, and it was slightly terrifying being at the front of the whole world with the wind and spray in our faces. It was an incredible feeling.\u00A0\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19626/michael-at-the-world-championship-in-felixstowe.jpg","width":964,"height":903,"altText":"Mike is holding onto his boat\u0027s sail on the side of his rowing boat in the middle of the sea, with another sailor sat beneath him. The wind is pushing the green, white and blue sail out to the right.","caption":"I\u2019m on the wire during the World Championship in Felixstowe.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EProfessional life and marriage\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EProfessionally, I became a technical illustrator. I worked with images without words, and it fitted around my dyslexia. After college, I travelled, worked, and lived in various countries for nearly 18 years, before coming back to the UK with a young family.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI met my wife when I worked in Portugal. However, for us to get married there, I needed my birth certificates. I didn\u2019t know if one existed for my adoption, so I asked my mother. Without hesitation, she requested one, knowing the details would reveal my annulled birth name, my birth parents\u2019 names, and their address.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI was naturally intrigued by this discovery, but I\u2019ve never thought of pursing it further. Although my family gave me their full blessing and offered to help me find them, I wouldn\u2019t change anything.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003ELearning to cope\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou might think I was riding high at this point, but I was still suffering setbacks because of my dyslexia. It hit my confidence.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI wanted to teach sailing at the club and Scouts, and to people with learning disabilities. I had so much to offer, but I was petrified. My anxiety made it difficult for me to put things into words,\u00A0 express myself and engage with people properly. It felt like\u00A0there were invisible weights holding me back.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis really struck home while I was doing a sailing instructors course. I\u2019d been able to hold my own against the world\u0027s top sailors at World Championships, but now, I couldn\u0027t stand in front of people to explain what I knew best.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19638/mike-in-his-scout-uniform-2.png","width":564,"height":834,"altText":"Mike is looking at the camera and wearing black glasses. He\u0027s in his Scouts Water Activity Unit uniform and wearing a necker with a Buzz Lightyear figure on.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EHow becoming a volunteer in Scouts made all the difference\u0026nbsp;\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI needed a way to confront my fears and find coping mechanisms, so I\u0026nbsp;became an occasional helper at Beavers. Gradually, things became more manageable and not so terrifying, and I eventually became a uniformed leader.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve been a volunteer now for ten years. I\u2019ve also become a recognised\u0026nbsp;RYA\u0026nbsp;Sailing Instructor. This set me off on my path in Scouts as a Group and County skills instructor, and I\u2019ve gained lots of National Governing Body qualifications and Scout permits. \u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EGiving back\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve delivered taster and development sessions and courses, and perhaps most rewardingly, have helped with disability water sports. It\u2019s humbling and inspiring, observing and interacting with the young people as they enjoy their time on the water, regardless of their own challenges.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn\u0026nbsp;my local group, I helped form\u0026nbsp;the WaterRats\u0026nbsp;Water Activity Unit, creating opportunities for our young people to get engaged, challenge themselves and\u0026nbsp;learn new skills.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOf course, there are still challenging moments for me, but the positive outcomes outweigh the negatives, making it all worthwhile.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELast year, we were recognised for our work in promoting and developing water sports with \u003Ca href=\u0022/volunteers/learning-development-and-awards/awards-and-recognition/awards-process/\u0022 title=\u0022Awards process\u0022\u003EThe Chief Scout\u0027s Commendation for Good Service Award\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19639/catarina-on-her-way-to-the-2019-world-scout-jamboree.png","width":806,"height":834,"altText":"Mike\u0027s daughter is wearing her Scout uniform and necker and smiling at the camera. She\u0027s wearing her shoulder-length, brown hair down as she gets ready to go to the 2019 World Scout Jamboree.","caption":"My daughter ready to go to the World Scout Jamboree in 2019.","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EA proud moment\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EKnowing the positive impact Scouts had on me, I encouraged my daughter to start as a Beaver Scout. She was invested and supported by a brilliant leader, Jean Marshall.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWatching her interact and get involved\u00A0made me smile so much, and it brought back so many fond memories. I was so proud to see her head off to the 2019 World Scout Jamboree as she continues on her own life journey.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s especially amazing that she doesn\u2019t let her \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.fndaction.org.uk/what-is-functional-neurological-disorder/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFunctional Neurological Disorder (FND)\u003C/a\u003E condition hold her back, even though she experiences seizures, blurred vision, brain fog and partial paralysis. I\u2019m in awe of her positive mindset and outlook on life.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor what I\u2019ve personally overcome and gained, I can\u0027t thank Scouts enough. It really has been about \u2018skills for life.\u0027\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"23 January 2023","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Sailing activities","url":null,"newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[{"caption":"","title":"Nautical navigator","url":"/activities/nautical-navigator/","newWindow":false}],"id":48739,"nodeName":"Sailing through the storms: Buzz\u2019s story","title":"Sailing through the storms: Buzz\u2019s story","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/19620/michael-and-his-friend-on-his-boat.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd26131c20","caption":"Michael And His Friend On His Boat","type":"jpg","size":103174,"width":1024,"height":689,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Sailing through the storms: Buzz\u2019s story","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Thanks to Scouts and sailing, Mike\u2019s brilliantly navigated through life.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODczOSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2023/january/sailing-through-the-storms/"}