Sixty-one years ago saw the birth of a most humble person Luigi Galea, founder of the Qrendi Scout Group and a founder member of the Qrendi Football Club who also worked extremely hard and dedicated much of his life for the good of the Qrendi community.

Luigi Galea was born on the 16th January 1902, son of Nikola Galea from Mqabba and Katrina nee Bezzina from Qrendi. Married to Maria Lourdes Cassar, who bore him three children, Bernadette, Josephine and Edward. Luigi was an exemplary family person who treasured Christian family values within his family, home and village.

Enlisting into the ranks of the Royal Malta Artillery on the 24th December 1919, and serving a thirty-year engagement, Luigi learnt a sense of commitment and discipline, values that he regarded highly through out his life. During the latter twenty years of his service, Galea was promoted to Sergeant Major. Following his discharge from the army he enlisted as a civilian officer within the education centre at Admiralty House.

On the 16th March 1932 the first group of scouts at Qrendi was formed. The group consisted of a small nucleus of young Qrendi boys. The times were hard and like many other local organizations this small group had teething problems and folded up a very short while later.

On the 6th May 1934 another attempt to establish scouting at Qrendi was tried. With the young John Vella being appointed Scout Master, Luigi Galea was in September 1934, approached to lead the group as Group Scout Master, barely a day following his return from military duty at the United Kingdom. Luigi Galea who was a great admirer of Baden Powell in whom he saw a role model commanding great respect, devotion and discipline whilst caring for the younger generation, accepted the position open heartily.

With this ideal in mind and a dream come true together with Galea’s determination and vision the Qrendi Scout Group was reactivated, this time on a sounder foundation. On the 6th June 193, Luigi Galea was appointed Group Scout Master and presented with Warrant number Mt 0348. Under his leadership and direction, the Qrendi Scout Group prospered and despite hard times managed to achieve a high standard of Scouting. The Group was officially registered as GROUP REG 47 within the Scout Association of Malta on the 1st April 1935.

Attending the second adult leadership course or as it is better known, the Wood Badge course, in 1950, Galea was presented with his Wood Badge warrant by the Chief Scout and Governor of Malta His Excellency Sir Gerald Greasey, on the 24th August 1950. The Wood Badge warrant is considered as the highest recognition in adult leadership training within the Scout Movement.

The Qrendi Scout Master Luigi Galea represented his group during the visit to Malta of Lord Rowallan, Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire, accompanied by Mr. F.H.J. Dahl, Traveling Commissioner, who had arrived in Malta by air from Rome on a four-day visit to the scouts of Malta and Gozo.

On the 26th February 1950, the Island Commissioner of the Scout Association of Malta Luigi decorated Galea with the Long Service medal in recognition of thirty years service to the movement and in recognition for his work in aid of the younger generation.

Unfortunately history repeats itself and the Qrendi Scout Group once again became dormant in 1953. Despite all this, Group Scout Master himself remained active within the association and until the 23rd April 1964, continued to represent the Qrendi Scout Group. Galea is also easily considered as one of the pioneer members of the scout movement in Malta

But Galea is not only known for his scouting traditions in Qrendi but also as being a founder member, together with Guido Bezzina, of the Qrendi Football Club.

It is not only the Qrendi community and the Scout Association that benefited from Luigi Galea’s civic sense. Galea was also one of the pioneer members of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade and gave service to this association from as early as the 1930’s, within which association he remained active till the tender age of seventy-one. Holding the rank of Major, Galea formed part of the first District, that of our capital

In recognition of a life’s dedication to society and particularly the Qrendi Scout Group, the group forwarded their former Group Scout Leader’s name to the Qrendi Local Council, proposing that a street in their village be named after a person who possessed a high civic spirit and example to others.

The Qrendi Local Council upheld the Qrendi Scout Group’s request and named a small but significant street as

The Scout Association of Malta with the 50th Bronze Cross Anniversary Commemorative Medal further decorated Luigi Galea on the 9th December 1995 (Ref. 208 L)

Luigi passed away from this world to the other on the 20th March 1988 and is laid to rest at the Qrendi Cemetery in his family’s grave.

The seeds that Galea has sowed at Qrendi have steady grown into trees as his beloved Qrendi Scout Group was again reactivated in 1994 and officially registered with the Scout Association of Malta on the 23rd May 1995.