Three members of Badger Hill Scouts have been lucky enough to be chosen to attend the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in Japan next year. Katherine Reaper, from Silsoe, will join her Maulden colleagues Abigail Jackson and Jeremy Young, along with Scout Leader Helen Draycott in the Bedfordshire contingent.
They were three of only 27 selected from the county, following a highly competitive selection process, involving a written application, interview and observation at a weekend camp. Part of the bargain is that each jamboreer has undertaken to raise £3,500 to fund their 3 weeks in Japan; this figure includes a contribution to help Scouts from less affluent countries attend.
Learning Japanese
In the lead up to July 2015 the Bedfordshire unit have regular team building/traiing weekends with the 9 Anglia Guides who complete their Jamboree Unit; this includes learning some Japanese, eating Japanese food and learning the local customs. Updates are posted on the Bedfordshire County Scout Website.
As part of their fundraising, the Badger Hill Scouts are each aiming to fold 1000 origami cranes. An ancient Japanese legend says that anyone who folds 1000 cranes will be granted a wish; the folding of cranes has been adopted in peace campaigns connected with Hiroshima. The Jamboree coincides with 70th Anniversary commemorations of the bombing and the three Scouts will deliver special cranes to the peace park with messages from their sponsors printed into them. You may see cranes, along with forms for sponsors to write their messages, in local shops or on sale at various local events – or there is an on-line donation page, with more information. Sponsors can also opt to be kept up to date with Jamboree Unit news and events, plus updates from the Jamboree itself and postcards from Japan.
How You Can Help
If you have an event or small task that the Scouts might help with in return for donations, we would be pleased to hear from you; extra help from the district and county could be called in.
Any support you might be able to offer, which will help our local Scouts realise their wish of going to Japan, would be much appreciated.