My Scouting journey started when I was a Beaver. My sister had just joined and it sounded amazing, and because my dad was a leader it was easy for me to get involved. I’m incredibly glad I went along to those first sessions as scouting has shaped who I am today.

Scouting is where I socialise, express myself, and feel like I belong. All of my closest friends are people I’ve met through Scouts, and I am sure that I would not have the confidence I have now without it.

One moment that really stands out for me was being trusted to run my first session. I chose to run a Dungeons & Dragons session, which is something I really enjoy. Getting to share one of my interests with people I thought highly of and really like, and being told I’d done a good job, was a huge confidence boost and genuinely surprised me. It made me far more confident in my leadership skills and made me run for opportunities more in places like my school council or our local youth forum chair

Being selected for the World Scout Jamboree still feels a bit surreal. My sister attended the last Jamboree and always talked about how incredible it was, how life changing it was, so finding out I was going to have that same opportunity was unbelievable. I’ll be representing the proud nation of Wales and the CRAI District, meeting thousands of Scouts from all over the world.

The Jamboree means much more to me than going out on school trips out of the country. I’ll be meeting people from different cultures, building friendships that could last a lifetime, and learning independence in a way that smaller camps just can’t offer with people with similar interests to me. I’m hoping to grow even more confident, and maybe even become a bit less picky with food along the way!

I don’t usually like asking for help, and I do feel guilty doing so, but attending the World Scout Jamboree comes with significant costs. Any donation, no matter the amount, would mean more to me than I can properly explain. Your support isn’t just helping me get there, it’s helping me grow, represent my community, and bring everything I learn back to Scouting at home.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story and for any support you’re able to give

Currently we are planning:

1. A master of arms course which can be found here-https://bookwhen.com/csapdave.

2. We will be selling handmade wooden bead necklaces and bracelets around craft fairs/fetes

3. Curry and quiz nights

4. Me, my mum, and my friend will be doing a sponsored run (Caerphilly10K wish us luck!)

5. My unit will be climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest between us.