Five local Scouts have been selected to represent Mid Sussex at the 26th World Scout Jamboree in Poland and are busy fundraising for their ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity.
The jamboree is a global event held every four years, bringing together more than 40,000 young people from around the world for an international camp focused on cultural exchange, adventure and leadership development.
The Mid Sussex Scouts include Ben Wickenden from the Lindfield Trident Explorers, who will be joined by Alfred, Evan, Harrison, and Sam; fellow Scouts from Haywards Heath and Cuckfield.
The Scouts are fundraising collectively to ensure they all have the opportunity to attend. All funds raised will go towards their fees, travel, essential kit and training camps ahead of the jamboree in 2027.
The boys are looking forward to meeting people from around the world, learning new skills and representing Mid Sussex on a global stage.
“It will help us build confidence, resilience, and independence, while developing leadership skills that we will bring back to the local community,” said Ben. “On our return, we will support Scout groups across the Mid Sussex district as Young Leaders, passing on what we have learnt to younger Scouts.”
So far, the Scouts have been actively fundraising in the community, including running stalls at local events, including the Cuckfield Christmas Street Festival and Lindfield Village Day. They have also organised Christmas tree collections and carried out practical jobs to help local residents.
“We have also been supported by the Mid Sussex Lodge Freemasons, and we recently attended a presentation where they presented us with a generous donation of £500,” added Ben.
The Scouts are currently undertaking a sponsored challenge to ‘travel’ the distance from Haywards Heath to Gdańsk, covering the miles through running, walking, swimming, skateboarding, and roller skating.
Supporters can follow their journey and donate via their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/mid-sussex-scouts
Charity number: 305841