Buckinghamshire Scouts raise £775 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance

Buckinghamshire Scouts have raised £775 for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Beaver Scouts (boys and girls aged 6 to 8) and Cub Scouts (boys and girls aged 8 to 10) across Buckinghamshire have been raising money for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

The children can earn a challenge badge for participating in four activities which are flight, fundraising, medical and accident prevention. The activities gave children the opportunity to learn about how to prevent accidents, what to do in an emergency, find out about the Air Ambulance and help to raise some money.

Children across Buckinghamshire came up with some intuitive ideas for the activities, including making paper aeroplanes, learning the phonetic alphabet and designing posters.

Ideas for the fundraising activities included a sponsored walk that finished at a chip shop, a jam jar challenge, sponsored obstacle course, Christmas post and doing odd jobs in the community.

The 26th High Wycombe (Penn and Tylers Green) Scout Group presented a cheque for £775 to Ruth and Neil from the Thames Valley Ambulance. During the presentation the children were given the opportunity to ask questions which included how often they were called out in a day, how many vehicles they had and what types of incidents they get called out to.

Tessa Ingram, lead volunteer for Beaver Scouts in Buckinghamshire said: ‘The challenge badge has been beneficial for both Scouts and the Air Ambulance. The children have loved finding out about the air ambulance and have learnt new skills. They’ve also done lots of fund raising and this helps the Air Ambulance. It’s been a win, win for all of us.‘

Adult volunteer, Sue Sell, said: ‘You get an incredible amount of enjoyment as a volunteer. Seeing children achieving goals, trying something for the first time and if they aren’t successful trying again. There are many occasions when I come across someone who was in Beavers and is now doing well at school, at university or doing well in work and I often reflect on how I helped them when they were in Beavers and how they have developed.‘

Further information about the Scouts can be found on their website at www.scouts.org.uk/join.

Further information about the Thames Valley Air Ambulance can be found on their website at www.tvairambulance.org.uk.

*Source of article : Press release from Buckinghamshire Scouts.