Listening to the show and you talking about Scout Flag Retirement Ceremony coming from the UK this is something which a lot of scouts will look as you like you were stupid. It is not something that is really done over here. In some case a Scout Flag will be retired to the celling of a church if the troop is linked to one but generally they are binned.

I saw my first Retirement Ceremony when I work as camp staff at Camp Long Lake in Wisconsin and this was because someone let the flag touch the floor.  This amazed me because If I had to burn the flag every time my scout let it touch the floor we would be buying a flag a week.

We regards to using the ashes from the previous ceremony. I know a number of scout groups in the UK who use a photo film canister to collect some of the ashes (once cold) from every campfire they have ever had, they then add these to the next fire. If you ever go to Brownsea Island you can purchase some ashes from the Campfire circle where the ashes have been continues (sort of) form when BP had a fire there.  You can add these to your camp fire and keep that link going.

Thanks for a great show

Kiff