On the 14th September I was invited by Pat Russell, the County Chair of Staffordshire County Scouts, to attend the Staffordshire County Scouts Annual General Meeting. I jumped at the chance as it provided me with the perfect opportunity to learn more about this organisation – its visions, its plans for the future, and the obstacles it currently faces.
I was blown away by the dedication of the Scout leaders and their commitment to teaching young children integrity, communications skills and tolerance. I was also amazed by the range of activities on offer to Scouts across the county, providing young people with the opportunity to try a variety of pursuits, which they may not have had access to without the Scout movement.
However, I also learnt that there are over 60,000 children on a waiting list to join the Scouts, due to a lack of volunteers and leaders. This is a hurdle the organisation is working hard to overcome.
With youth groups and centres being forced to close due to budget cuts, I feel passionately that there is a huge need for the Scout Association, now more than ever. This is why over the next month I will be sharing further information and news about the Scouts, with the aim of raising awareness of this fantastic organisation and hopefully encouraging some of you to get involved.