At the time of his birth his mother was attempting to return to Leeds to ensure that the boys were born Yorkshiremen.

Although born in Scotland, with a Scottish father and proud to call himself a Scot, his birth was registered in Leeds.

After leaving school, Dring worked for Fisons Chemicals, until joining Allied Colloids in 1973.

[3] In 1947, Dring was a soldier in the British Army stationed in Wuppertal, Germany when a colleague asked him to become a Cub Scout leader.

In addition to serving a term as chief commissioner of the B-PSA, and later as president, he continued to volunteer as a Scouter for 1st Yorkshire Baden-Powell Scouts Troop.