St Neots: Explorer Scouts group looking for new members

Based at the Scout HQ, in Bedford Street, the unit has been running for 16 months and has already recruit 20 young people.

Cooking, night hikes and map reading are just three of the activities members take part in as part of preparations for the Dragnet Challenge, a 36-hour “evade and capture” competition in the Lake District.

Other activities planned include bush craft using saws, axes, and knives safely and fire lighting and shelter building.

Cooking, night hikes and map reading are just some of the activities members take part in. (Image: Scouts)

Explorer Scouts is for boys and girls aged 14-17 and provides opportunities for young people to make new friends, try different activities and learn skills for life.

Skills they will learn and develop include leadership, teamwork, resilience, social skills, problem solving and self-confidence.

These are skills that will help them with further education, employment, and apprenticeship applications.

In a recent survey 94 per cent of Scouts said that they had developed skills useful to them in later life. In the same survey 88 per cent said they had tried activities in scouts they had never tried before.

The Chimera Explorer Scouts are based at the Scout HQ in Bedford Street. (Image: Scouts)

Colin Chaplin, a scout leader said: “I initially became an Explorer leader as my neighbour ran a local scout group and they needed some additional assistance with the Explorers.

“Since becoming a leader, I have had the opportunity to try new activities that perhaps I would not have done otherwise.

“It’s also very rewarding to see the Explorers enjoying themselves, learning new life skills as well as making new friends.”

In a survey of adult volunteers in Scouts, 70 per cent said they had improved life satisfaction and 66 per cent said their self-esteem had improved.