Guides and Scouts unite for a Community Challenge for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee!
Thousands of Scouts and Guides from across Hampshire have come together to work on community projects to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. As part of their promise to serve The Queen and country, both organisations are reaching out to help their local neighbourhoods between 6th February and 30th June. Activities could range from litter picking, providing food and shelter to the homeless, revamping skate parks, preserving the area’s wildlife, and much more.
29th Odiham Scouts and 7th Fleet Guides join Fleet Pond Society in their Conservation Work
Tracy Betteridge, a Guide Leader with the 7th Fleet Guides, writes:
It was -1oC (on the 12th February) when 30 representatives of 7th Fleet Guides and 29th Odiham Scouts (plus 12 parents) arrived at Fleet Pond to assist Fleet Pond Society in their conservation work. The plan had been to clear birch seedlings from the Dry Heath area – a mixture of digging out the smaller roots and cutting the bigger ones with loppers and bowsaws. After a week of freezing temperatures, however, the ground was solid and digging was not an option. Not to be deterred, the volunteers set to work cutting down the seedlings. A large fire was soon underway, fed by the seedlings cut down by the eager volunteers.
“A chilly morning was filled with log chopping with saws – it was the first time I used a saw on my own! A great fun way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning,” enthused Laura C of 7th Fleet Guides.
“Not only was it great fun, but we were helping preserve the heathland for visitors and the wildlife,” said Nick B of 29th Odiham Scouts.
Jessica D. of 7th Fleet Guides commented, “It was fun to try the saw out and cut down the saplings. We had to be careful cutting down the right saplings and trees, the birch. We worked in a big team and were helping to keep Fleet pond nice for people to walk around and visit.”
In case you’d like further information on these organisations, please see Girlguiding in Hampshire North and Hampshire Scouts.