Scouts and Guides set sail thanks to grant

A GROUP of guides and scouts will be able to take to the waterways of Norfolk in a boat they have spent decades renovating thanks to a grant from other youngsters.

The town's scouts began working on the narrow boat, called Harboro' , in 1986 and as the boys have grown up and left each successive group has taken on the mantel.

As work on the boat came to an end, all eyes turned to training some of the youth leaders in a bid to take as many youngsters out on the water as soon as possible.

A number of leaders and youth leaders appealed to Breckland's Youth Council for help in funding the training and after being whittled down to one of 11 contenders, from an original 18, were awarded �1,440.

First Thetford Guide Leader, Caroline Chad, said getting the groups outside would be invaluable. “Being given this money means the world's our oyster,” she said.

“To get them out on the water to learn about the conservation in Norfolk, to be able to visit other places and be out in the fresh air will be amazing.

“For the young leaders to be able to do something different outside school and exams, and to take others out on visits will help with their own growth.”

A total of six young leaders will now be trained to handle the boat, care of the environment and deck work, amongst others.

The boat, now moored at Stoke Ferry, can sleep 10 guides and scouts at a time and will be used for day and overnight trips and weekends away. Training will begin in the spring.

Breckland Youth Council handed out seven grants across the district in a Dragons' Den style contest.

A shortlist of 11 projects was drawn up with bids for �31,000 and each group had to make a presentation to a panel of five youth councillors.

Chairman of the youth council, 16-year-old Sean Ward, said it was obvious how much the group had wanted the grant.

“They'd been working on the project for something like 20 years,” he said. “It was a really good project and it was really helping the community.

“There was nothing else like it and they put so much emotion into it.”