The 1st Stoke Gifford Scouts have been working hard in recent weeks, trying to raise money for their 2018 camp to Dhekelia, Cyprus.
The camp, which is set to take place during October half term 2018, has been arranged with the 48th Dhekelia Scout troop in Cyprus and is going to provide the local Scouts with a great opportunity to make new friends and learn about a different culture. Andrew Phelps, troop leader of the 1st Stoke Gifford Scouts, is planning on taking 20 children and 10 adults to Cyprus where they will camp with the Cypriot Scouts. Talking to me at their last troop meeting, Andrew stated that:
“The trip is going to be an amazing experience for the kids and hopefully some of them will become pen pals with the Cypriot Scouts. Fundraising for the camp is also a great way of demonstrating to the children that they have to work hard to get what they want”.
The Stoke Gifford Scouts have been in touch with the Dhekelia Scouts for many years now, developing a close relationship with the Cypriot troop and have even visited them before, in October 2013. The same activities are being planned for next year’s trip, which include scuba diving, sea kayaking, sailing, rafting, swimming, fishing, hiking and pioneering. They are also planning a cultural visit to a monastery in the Trudos Mountains, stopping for lunch on the top of Mount Olympus and a trip to the buffer zone which is controlled by the United Nations, crossing the green line into Northern Cyprus. This will give the children the opportunity to experience first-hand the differences between Turkish Cyprus and Greek Cyprus.
However, in order to take part in all of these fantastic experiences, the Scouts need to raise the funds to cover the costs. On Wednesday 22nd November, the 1st Stoke Gifford Scouts held a fundraiser for friends and family in the Old School Rooms at the St Michael’s Centre. With the help of local stall holders, they had a varied selection of stalls and had a fun evening of guessing the name of the teddy, guessing the number of sweets in the box and purchasing candles, glasses, jewellery and knitted items. They were able to raise a total of £413.
There is still a long way for the Scouts to go as they need to raise about £6,000 in total to cover all of the costs of the food and activities. They have some more fundraising events planned, including a swimathon at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre in February and a Mother’s Day Pamper Night. Also, make sure you look out for the troop at Asda during the summer term, where they will be offering to help pack your bags in return for any loose change that you may have.
