A 24 YEAR old who despite a debilitating neural disorder gives up his time to help his local scout group is encouraging others to do the same.

Chris Young, a cub scout leader with 1st St Neots scout group, is calling for more adults to come forward and plug the gaps for volunteers.

His appeal follows news that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, was going to act as volunteer with at cub scout groups and beaver scout colonies.

Chris, who lives in Love’s Farm and is a quality care co-ordinator for the learning disability trust The Quality Company, has cerebral palsy and a learning disability.

But when the former cub scout heard there was a lack of adult leaders he volunteered. He now helps run his local cub scout group, which caters for 17 cubs aged eight to ten.

He said: “I oversee everybody and make sure the cubs are doing the activities and getting the badges. I used to be a cub when I was younger and I loved it.

“I struggled at school and I still struggle now. But I love just seeing the youngsters achieve what they can achieve. When I was at school, I didn’t really achieve a lot myself.

“I want the youngsters to achieve what we know they can achieve. A lot of things people say, they put young people down, but that is not fair.”

Additional leaders are needed for scout groups in Huntingdon and St Neots.

Chris Ward, communications and media manager for Cambridgeshire Scouts, said: “There are a lot of people who would make good volunteers, but they cannot make the times because they commute to work. We are all busy, but there is a way you can help.

“The Duchess of Cambridge can’t be there week in week out, six in the evening. But she can do her little bit.”

To find out more about volunteering go to www.scouts.org.uk/join or call 0845 300 1818.