MORE than 4,500 Scouts and Guides from across Surrey enjoyed an action-packed weekend of activities recently.

 

The boys and girls aged 10 to 15 had the opportunity to take part in more than 200 activities at the three-day Scoutabout event at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, West Sussex, the only site big enough and close enough to house the Scouts and Guides of Surrey for the weekend.

 

From JCB digger and car driving to bungee running and scuba diving, the young people were able to try something new, in a safe environment and make new friends at the same time.

 

Charlotte, aged 14, who attended the camp as a Guide, said: “We’ve had a great time, despite it being a bit rainy. I’ve really enjoyed all the activities and trying new things with all the friends I’ve made.”

 

Josh, a Scout aged 12, said: “I’ve had a brilliant time riding some go-karts, getting very wet and meeting new people. It’s a pity this doesn’t happen every year!”

 

The weekend would not have been possible without the hard work of a determined team of 1,500 adult volunteers from across Surrey who have carried out a range of roles to make Scoutabout a reality.

 

From camp cooks to a doctor and from fire teams to IT engineers, adult volunteers have shared their skills to benefit these young people.

 

One of the biggest tasks has been to source the huge number of activities that make Scoutabout such a success.

 

Whether it’s been asking groups to provide craft or general activities or identifying professionals both within Scouting and externally to deliver the more adventurous activities, a dedicated team of volunteers have worked tirelessly for the past 18 months to make this the best event so far.

 

Surrey Scouts Jonathan How, chairman of the camp’s steering committee, said: “Scoutabout is the biggest event that most of these kids will experience. It fires their imaginations to discover all the opportunities open to them.

 

“It has been a fantastic, fun and incredibly rewarding weekend, if somewhat tiring. An event such as this is important because it is a unique opportunity for them to discover that they have so much in common with Scouts and Guides across the county.”

Across the site the young people and adults have munched their through 1,800 curly wurlys, 1,400 ice creams, 16,200 fried eggs, 4,500 cans of fizzy drink and used 1,800 toilet rolls.

 

On the activities front, the most popular attractions included the caving black hole where about 2,400 Scouts and Guides took part and the tobogganing activity which drew 3,000 young people to take part.