Chichester Scouts thank community for helping them get to Japan

The trio and their unit leader, Tony Tunnell from 12th Chichester Scout Group, are at the World Scout Jamboree in Japan until Tuesday.

Tony said: “We would like to thank everyone in the Chichester district who has supported us with grants, local sponsorship and individual donations to help us raise over £9,000 to get to where we are now.

“We have received a huge amount of support from local people, businesses, and organisations.

The Scouts’ training was diverse, including team building, social skills, Japanese ceremonies and etiquette, camp craft, cooking from Japanese ingredients, tropical health, travel safety, entertaining others, media communications, giving and receiving emotional support, developing their leadership, and practising how to get on and off the bullet train.

Adam Long, a pupil at Bishop Luffa School and Scout at 12th Chichester, said: “It’s been 18 months since we started training and fundraising and the adventure hasn’t stopped.”

The Chichester group was part of West Sussex’s unit, called Yewnity, which jetted off on July 25 along with 4,000 UK Scouts, Guides and volunteers to join 30,000 others in Japan for adventure and cultural immersion shared with young people from around the world.

Chief Scout Bear Grylls said: “Over the course of the Jamboree, Scouts will be able to meet people from around the world, take part in amazing adventures and experiences and be challenged to think about global issues in a new light.

“That is why Scouting is one of the greatest youth movement on earth and why I am so proud to be part of it.”

The theme of the 23rd World Scout Jamboree is Spirit of Unity.

Alex Hole, a member of 1st Southbourne Sea Scouts, said: “We have achieved this in our unit and built on this when we met the other Scouts from around the world.”

He said nervous anticipation had turned to full on excitement as the departure day approached.

Johanna Wilson, also a member at 1st Southbourne, said: “This is a real opportunity for me to meet other young people from all over the world, to discover things about their culture and traditions and have fun with them.”

Having experienced three days in Tokyo, ten days on camp, they will now go on to experience living with a Japanese family for home hospitality.

Nicola Long said: “They are now coming to the end of their fantastic stay. They have had a fantastic trip. The organisation has been amazing. They will have lots of stories to tell when they get back and will be organising a thank you meeting for all supporters later in the year.

“This week, they all visited Hiroshima to take part in the Peace Ceremony to remember the 70th anniversary of this dreadful event.”

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