July 2015: Scouting students head to Japan for World Jamboree

TWO Haslingden High School students will be jetting off to Japan in the summer for the World Scout Jamboree.

Adam Hanson and Ellie Lord are both members of Seat Naze Explorer Scouts, which meet at 38th Rossendale Scout Headquarters in Cloughfold.

Adam, 15, is in Year 10 while Ellie, 17, is in Year 13.

They have both been involved in fund-raising because the trip has cost each participant £3,300 and extra for inoculations.

Adam said: “I have been running a tuck shop at Scouts and that helped to raise £1,000.

“On July 24th we will be flying to Dubai and then on to Tokyo – a 16-hour flight.

“We stay two to three days in the capital and visit the largest skyscraper and the world’s largest video arcade for five hours, when it has been reserved just for the 3-4,000 Scouts from the UK,

“We will then go to Kyoto, the former imperial capital of Japan.”
They will spend 12 days at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree at Yamaguchi City and Adam has also applied to be one of the Scouts selected to be part of the peace contingent who will be going to Hiroshima.

He said: “This is a great opportunity to meet people and talk about their beliefs.

“I am looking forward to the home hospitality when we will get to stay with a host family and to the different culture.

“It is going to be amazing and I want to use my experience to teach other people what Scouting is all about. There are misconceptions about Scouting but I think if more people know what it is really all about it would become even more popular.”

Adam is a Young Leader with 38th helping with one of two Scout troops that meet at the centre in Cloughfold.

There will be 30,000 Scouts from across the world and Adam will be taking lots of badges and neckerchiefs to swap with Scouts from other countries.

Year 13 Ellie Lord will also be making the trip.