I am a Scout Leader near Wetherby in Yorkshire hoping to take a Unit of 36 Scouts to the European Scout Jamboree in Poland in Summer 2020.

I need to raise £3000 and, to get my fund-raising started, I am going to cycle 200 miles from Wetherby to Gilwell Park, the headquarters of the Scout Association, on the edge of London - solo, in ONE DAY, on Saturday 12th October 2019.

The European Scout Jamboree will see around 15,000 Scouts from all over Europe and other parts of the world gather for a 10 day camp on Sobieszewo Island near Gdansk in Poland. The Jamboree is an educational event whose primary focus is developing understanding and peace amongst young people from a myriad of backgrounds and in particular:

- build wide awareness of climate change and inspire action every day to save the planet

- raise awareness of global issues and responsibility for local communities and achieve the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

- build openness to other cultures and religions and support the sense of brotherhood to live in peace

- learn how to embrace challenges, develop self-reliance, build self-confidence and spark awareness of the importance of continuous self-improvement

This is a wonderful opportunity for our young people to broaden their perspectives, meeting Scouts from a wide range of countries and cultures whilst also developing as individuals within a close knit team (from Central Yorkshire).

Daily life on camp will include the young people being given a budget to procure the Unit's food each day, cooking for each other and cleaning up and supporting each other through the highs and lows of being away from home in a foreign country for 2 weeks, for some for the first time and for many the first time without their parents. There will also be opportunities to both host and participate in dinner with Units from other countries. 

The trip will also include 3 days in Krakow, taking in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Oscar Schindler's factory and a day in the stunning mountains around Zakopane as well as opportunities to explore Gdansk, the home of the Solidarity Movement in the 1980s - giving our young people a unique insight and perspective on life in Poland both today and in the past.

My role as Leader will be to plan, book and guide the Unit of 36 young people through this adventure, alongside 3 other Scout Leaders, and most importantly to ensure they have a safe, 'once in a lifetime' experience. However I also have to pay to attend the event as a Leader, hence my fundraising.

I would be really grateful, if you could spare £2 or £3 (or maybe £5 or £10) to help me reach my fundraising target and make this amazing opportunity for these young people a reality.

Thank you for your support

Colin