It was time to go on board the ferry to SXM with a final destination to the United Kingdom, via France. A long way from home, a long journey, but one that will be educational, fun and awe-inspiring. The final count when we were settled on the ferry was twenty eight.
On Monday July 17th, the Scouts of Anguilla were on their way to complete the second phase of a friendship project. In 2015 nineteen Scouts from the United Kingdom visited Anguilla, St. Kitts and Antigua. Now in 2017, twenty eight Scouts from Anguilla are visiting the United Kingdom until August 1st.
Scouting, as part of a global organization, is dedicated to the development of young boys and girls and encouraging interaction and understanding between people of different cultures. The Scouts of Anguilla will be guests of the Warwickshire County Scouts. While in England they will spend some time in Warwickshire doing a community project with the Canal and River Trust, visiting places of interest like the Cathedral and Transport Museum in Coventry, the Warwick Castle, Stratford-on-Avon which is the birth place of William Shakespeare, the Government of Anguilla’s London Office which is housed within the West India Committee and engaging in scouting activities with the local scouts. They will also camp at Gilwell Park (on the outskirts of London), the headquarters of United Kingdom Scouting. During this part of the trip they will visit London. An overnight camp will be held on Brownsea Island where the first Scout Camp was held, in 1907, under the guidance of Lord Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting.
While these Scouts are in London, the Scouts here at home will host a contingent of Scouts form St. Kitts from July 21st to August 11th; and Scouts from the United States of America from August 7th to 14th.
The United Kingdom experience was made possible through many fundraising activities that were organised over the past year – and through the generous contributions of many Scout leaders, businesses and individuals in Anguilla: including the Anguilla Social Security Board, the Anguilla Air and Seaports Authority (AASPA), FLOW, Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC), the Department of Youth and Culture, St. Marys’ Anglican Parish Vestry, Mr. John Benjamin, Mr. Osbourne “Daddy” Harrigan and the Honorable Minister of MICUHAF, Mr. Curtis Richardson. The Scouts of Anguilla place on record sincere thanks to all for their contribution toward making the Anguilla-United Kingdom Expedition a reality.
SCOUTING IS A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
– Contributed
