28 Sep HOUSEBUILDER’S DONATION HELPS PROVIDE OVERSEAS LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG ESSEX SCOUT
Chelmsford-based Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated £1,000 towards a Southend scout’s fundraiser, to fund the youngster’s attendance in The World Scout Jamboree and help subsidise scout groups in less fortunate countries.
13-year-old Alice Weight at Southend Estuary District Scouts has been selected by her scout group to attend the 25th World Scout Jamboree, which will be held in South Korea next year.
The World Jamboree is the biggest occasion for the World Scouting organisation, and gathers up to 40,000 scouts from more than 150 countries. Held every four years, the World Jamboree will take place between 1st and 12th of August in 2023.
Alice has been tasked by her scout leader to share the Jamboree experience with her friends and fellow scouts throughout preparation and once she returns, for all of her peers to benefit from.
She said: “I was very excited to hear that I had been selected to receive a donation from Barratt and David Wilson Homes and I’m so very grateful.
“I have still got a long way to go but this has been a big confidence booster. I have been doing raffles and bake sales and will be doing more events over the next year. I am really looking forward to going on the World Scout Jamboree!”
Each Jamboree is hosted by a different country and is an educational event designed to promote peace and understanding among young people from different cultures, and the first ever event took place in England in 1920.
Jamboree attendees from the UK are each asked to fundraise £3,800 for the opportunity, which not only funds their travel and attendance, but also significantly subsidises scout groups from poorer countries to have the same opportunity. The Jamboree also encourages young leaders for the future.
The scout group Alice attends, Southend Estuary District Scouts, is a youth-led organisation based in Southend-on-Sea, which aims to promote confidence and skills through teambuilding and leadership activities.
Established for over 80 years, the District has 160 adult volunteers supporting around 1,000 young people, which equips them with skills for life and opportunities both locally and internationally.
Mark Chapman, District Explorer Scout Commissioner and Activities Leader at Southend Estuary District Scouts, said: “Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ donation is very generous and the developer provides amazing opportunities to local community groups.
“With COVID-19 and other financial demands, insurances, equipment replacement, increasing rents, such community funding is imperative for scouts to continue our great work and give young people the best starts in their lives.”
The donation came as part of the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.
Tom Wright, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Eastern Counties, said: “We are delighted to have been able to help provide this exciting opportunity for Alice, which in turn has provided greater opportunities for other scout groups to also benefit from internationally.
“The event is an excellent way for scouts to develop their skills and learn about their peers in other countries, and we wish Alice the very best throughout her journey.”
For more information on Southend Estuary District Scouts, visit https://www.essexscouts.org.uk/.
