Page 55 - BR-May-2018

May 2018 May 2018

The success of that trip inspired the Group, led by Phil, to raise the funds necessary
to bring 20 Latvian Scouts to join a camp at Trigon, and for an extended stay in
and around the village in 1994.
In the late 1990s, the Venture Scouts and their parents were inspired by Phil to
raise the money needed for a truly adventurous trip to Kenya to mark the
Millennium in 2000. This life changing trip for more than 20 youngsters saw them
helping to build a medical clinic near Kibera in the slums of Nairobi, taking part
with Kenyan Scouts in a week-long camp, climbing Mount Kenya and going on
safari to Samburu.
In the early part of the new century, Phil’s focus changed when he took on the
responsibility of running Buddens Farm, the Dorset County Scout Camp. He never
gave up responsibility for the Venture Scout section which became a district wide
Explorer Scout unit in 2001.
In 2010 thoughts turned again to a major expedition and the place chosen was
Nepal. Preparations started and fundraising got underway. In 2013 20 youngsters
from Bere Regis took part in the expedition with Phil as one of the leaders. In
addition to undertaking a charitable project, the whole team, including Phil,
trekked to Everest Base Camp.
In 2015, the major project chosen was once again an expedition to Kenya to be
undertaken in 2017, and Phil once again agreed to be a leader. This time the
charitable project was to build a
dormitory for deaf children
attending a school in the far West of
Kenya. Again, a successful camp
was held with Kenyan Scouts from
t h e r e g i o n . Th e g r e a t e s t
achievement perhaps was that all
the expedition members, youngsters
and leaders and including Phil, by
now aged 72, achieved the
gruelling climb to the summit of
Mount Kenya.
Throughout this time Phil had been
the Group Scout Leader and the
Venture/Explorer Scout leader,
running weekly activities whilst also
acting as quartermaster for all the tentage and equipment in use by the
youngsters. He had also been responsible for the smooth introduction of girls into
Scouting in the Bere Regis Group in the 1990s.
After 38 years of involvement with Bere Regis Scout Group, Phil continues his
connection as the volunteer quartermaster of the group. Surely, this is an
extraordinary record of volunteering.

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