Scouts awarded highest honours

FIVE dedicated scouts from Nailsea have achieved the two highest possible awards in the scouting movement.

The team of three girls and two boys from 1st Nailsea Scout group and the Triple X Explorer Scout Unit have worked doubly hard to achieve their Queen’s Scout Awards as well as their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The scouts are the first to achieve the Queen’s Scout Award in seven years and they have also been invited to take part in the St George’s Day Parade at Windsor Castle in April where they will be inspected by the Queen.

Alex Bolton, aged 18, Andy Peet, aged 21, Josh Bolton, aged 20, Rachel Woolcock, aged 19, and Helen Woolcock, aged 25, have spent between three and seven years working towards the awards.

They have completed an expedition, a period of voluntary service, learnt more about international and environmental issues and improved their performance in a skill.

The team’s various activities took them as far as Thailand, Austria and Iceland and between them the youngsters have canoed, climbed, abseiled, taught sign language, dug drains, built shower blocks and raised funds for charity.

Helen Woolcock said: “Through achieving my Queen’s Scout Award, I have had many new experiences and learnt many new skills that have helped me in other aspects of my life. I am proud of my achievement in gaining this award.”