Scouts set to improve the environment in Tiverton as Scout Community Week launches - 22-05-2012
As part of the National Community week project Tiverton Scouts are today placing 60 bird boxes along the Tiverton Canal Country Park from Swans Neck to Halberton. The young people have spent weeks constructing the boxes and this weekend sees the culmination of their efforts when, with the assistance of park rangers, they will site the boxes along the canal.
Paul Bevan, voluntary leader of the group said, "This has been such a worthwhile project for the whole scout group. Today the scouts will be boarding a canal barge to help with putting the boxes up. I know how much our young people have enjoyed making the bird boxes and this weekend they will be making a real improvement to the canal which proves that they can make a difference in their community."
The Scouts will be encouraging the communities they are helping out in to make voluntary donations to their Group - Scout Groups are local charities and are reliant on donations for their existence. The group will be placing collection tins in the canal tea rooms at the canal basin where the public can make donations if they wish.
An Explorer scout Toby aged 15 said, "Scout Community Week is a really good opportunity for me to get involved in my neighbourhood and my woodworking skills have improved a lot since I started making the bird boxes, I hardly even hit my thumb now!! I'm looking forward to coming back to the canal in future and seeing the birds in their new homes. It's good to know we'll be making a difference."
Bear Grylls, UK Chief Scout, said: "I am proud that so many Scout Groups are taking part in Scout Community Week and I know they will have a really positive impact in their local areas. Volunteering is at the very heart of Scouting and it's great to see so many young people volunteering to support others and provide help where it is needed. Working together we're going to make a huge difference to communities up and down the country. "
Throughout Scout Community Week, The Scout Association is reaffirming its commitment to strengthening communities and helping the local area. Research shows that Scouting develops a volunteering habit for life among its members: 36% of former youth Scout members volunteer for 2 hours a week, compared to 26% for the general population.
Another leader Stuart said, " As part of our efforts to improve the environment earlier this year we planted trees with the park rangers, this week we complete the job by erecting the bird boxes and litter picking. Volunteering with the scouts has been a brilliant experience for me - it's given me lots of new and transferable skills, and I think Scout Community Week will bring huge benefits to the Scouts too."
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