Just a small thank you

My son has been involved in Scouting since he finally got a place in our local Beaver troop when he was almost 7 - their starting age is 6, but due to the popularity of the troop, it's often much later when they start!

Today he off at a shooting tournament which is for the local district - apparently there are representatives from each of the Scout troops in the district and they are expecting 52 to take part - although due to the weather they may not have as many.

These leaders have taken time out from their families at a weekend to give a whole day so that the Scouts in our area can have a go at something they may not have the opportunity to do elsewhere in their lives.

Now, I have always stopped friends and relatives from buying my son guns at every opportunity, however now that he is older and he understands the dangers of guns, I am slowly coming around to the idea of letting him have the experience under very controlled circumstances - he has recently been on an activity holiday with my parents and shot air rifles as well as tried some laser clay pigeon shooting.

He left today with a great deal of excitement.

Since he has been in Scouting he has been away to PGL, attended day trips to local camps as a Beaver and a Cub when they were not allowed to stay overnight. He has been on multiple hikes and camps, including a walk across the Derbyshire Dales in January this year - 12 miles - a night hike in March - this time 14 miles as they got lost due to their poor night navigation skills! - a camp in May - given the option to build a bivouac (!) and sleep in it and most recently a 2 night camp at the beginning of October where they realised that as a patrol they need to pull their socks up and start to work as a team! That doesn't include the multiple chip and welly walks he has been on as well - the most recent being this last week.

Every time he returns from just a weekly meeting or a more adventurous weekend or event, he comes back usually in the same clothes I sent him in! he talks excitedly about what he has done and how much fun it was and that he can't wait until the next week/event.

As a brownie guider I know how much effort goes into arranging these things - I am currently arranging a sleepover at the national space centre which involves having to take my large scale licence and anyone who has read my blog at all will know how I felt after the last one I went to!

I also know that it isn't often we get a thank you let alone a card or anything else!

So I just want to say, a small thank you to all of the leaders in Scouting - and the other volunteer organisations out there - for all the work and effort you put into arranging a term of activities, be it in a weekly meeting or like today, giving up a weekend so that someone like my son can experience something he may not get to do again.

You're worth it :)