Scouting set me on a path to becoming an astronaut. Where will it take you?

Reporter: Judith Gidney

Volunteers’ Week is 1st – 7th June and Tim Peake, our very own UK astronaut and Scout Ambassador, pays tribute to the volunteers who support the Scouts in Saddleworth.

“Scouting set me on a path to becoming an astronaut. Where will it take you?

“I would like to pay tribute to each and every one of the amazing volunteers who support the Scouts in Saddleworth.  Every day of the week these volunteers are helping young people develop skills for life.

“Scouting started me on an incredible journey. As a Cub Scout, I never thought that one day I would be looking at our beautiful planet from space. Thanks to the generosity and commitment of my Scout leaders, the opportunities and encouragement I received helped to open up new horizons, and gave me confidence to pursue my aspirations.

Scouting helps young people develop those kind of skills you’re not going to find in a classroom. It gets people outdoors, working together, learning teamwork, communication, and really building character. Our volunteers are role models for these young people.

Across Saddleworth Scouts are also taking on some of the biggest issues in our communities through our A Million Hands initiative. They are supporting people living with dementia or disability, they are working to develop greater understanding of mental wellbeing and leading the fight for access to clean water and sanitation around the world.

To anyone thinking of volunteering, I would say that any time you can give is truly invaluable. You’ll have fun, learn new skills and be part of something truly amazing.”

Within the Saddleworth area, there are a handful of Beaver, Cub and Scout Packs in Uppermill, Greenfield and Mossley. They are all run by volunteers and rely on volunteers to keep them going.

Abigail Bown, Beaver leader with the Greenfield Pack told Saddleworth News and Life ; “I started volunteering in Scouting five years ago to enable my daughter to get a place when a new group started in Greenfield. I now have two children in Scouting – one a Cub and one an Explorer – and the opportunities they have had is amazing. My eldest tried climbing as a Scout and loved it so much that now she’s working on her climbing qualifications. Both have slept under the stars, taken part in adventurous activities, helped with local community issues, found out more about the environment, worked as a team and made friends.

She went on to say “They wouldn’t have had these opportunities, however, without volunteers, Scouting is run by unpaid volunteers who put in time and effort to ensure that the young people get as much out of scouting as possible. Saying that, as a volunteer for the last five years, Scouting has also opened up opportunities for me as well. I love working with the young people (although there are plenty of jobs behind the scenes for people who prefer a quieter life!). I’ve completed a climbing permit and am working on a canoeing one. I’ve also slept under the stars and surrounded by fish in an aquarium. I’ve tried (nearly) all of the adventurous activities that the Scouts have (I didn’t fancy getting stuck in the cave bus!) Most importantly I’ve made lifelong friends who share the aim of trying to enrich the lives of the young people in the area.

“We need your help, though, some groups in Saddleworth have had to close and many are just a volunteer away from not being able to run. Most of us do more roles than we really should to make sure that groups are kept going. It’s a cliché but true that you can do as much or as little as you’re comfortable with, maybe you could sort out the badges or help on camp or run a game for a few weeks. However, maybe, like me, you’ll come along and get so much out of it that you want to give more.”

If you’d like to find out more about volunteering for Scouting in the area please contact Erica Ryan via uppermillscouts@gmail.com or Abigail Bown (Greenfield) via Saddleworth News and Life hello@saddleworthnews.com

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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