On the Sunday before Christmas, Explorer Scouts aged 14 to 18 yrs old from the Challenger Unit in Knaphill, Martian Unit in Horsell, Maverick unit in Westfield and the WeyAhead unit based in Pyrford, descended on an unsuspecting public at Sainsburys supermarket in Brookwood.

Their aim was to assist shoppers in packing their purchases and to collect money for a number of charities, such as Homestead, with another donation of over £300 being given to Woking Hospice by the Weyahead Unit. The Hospice in Woking is in dire need of funds, and the scouts hope that their efforts increased the awareness of the Hospice’s urgent needs.

There was also the succulent aroma of bacon being fried on Trangia stoves outside the store, as more scouts and leaders were on hand to promote Scouting in Woking to both youngsters and adults.

There are five Explorer scout units around the borough, together with 14 Scout Groups catering for children aged 6 to 14 years old..

“ We hope that our presence at Sainsburys, may have inspired, not only more young people to join, but also adults to help at their local Scout group or Explorer Unit “ said Sue Moore the District Commissioner for Woking and added “ with a membership of over eleven hundred in the Woking area, we need as much help as possible”