THE 1st Holsworthy Scout group are powering forward with their dream to buy a field.
Explorer Scout Sophie Sleeman, 16, from Holsworthy, said: “Right now, there are around 100 of us sharing the Scout hut — that’s Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, and (sometimes) Explorers — not to forget the leaders.
“From the age of six to 16, we’ve been den designing, throwing bean bags at each other, making box forts, sleepover-ing, cooking, camping and creating (noise) in the Scout hut, but now we’re looking for something a little bigger. A field is what we need.”
The scout group hopes to purchase a field that is approximately two to three acres and within five miles of Holsworthy — but preferably nearer.
The group has a few requirements for their new field. Sophie said: “It needs to be relatively flat, well, flat enough so the Titanic doesn’t recreate itself in the mess tent. We’d like a river (water fights) and a little bit of wooded area.”
The Scouts are hoping to use the field mainly for games and camping and they would like to build composting toilets on the field.
The space would be so beneficial to the scouts as Sophie explained: “Having this space will allow us to do much more as Scouts, being able to have our own field would be great for quick camps and challenges as well as all important badge work, the occasional treasure hunt, ‘Scout parties’, and really helping us to build the experiences and memories that will help us later in life.”
So far the Scouts group has raised approximately £9,000 towards their field — but they still have a long way to go.
There are still a few grant applications in the pipeline, so they are making slow but steady progress.
Scout leader Kirstie Stone said: “The hardest bit will probably be finding the right piece of land for our needs. We do like to offer an outside experience to our young people as you can see by the attached photos of the beavers enjoying a camp fire and building a bug hotel and Scouts setting up camp.”
For more information contact group Scout leader Pauline Masters on 01409 254106.