TWENTY members of a Warrington scout group are flying to Norway tomorrow (Thursday) for a 12-day visit.
During their trip the 4th Lymm Scouts will live under canvas by a freshwater fjord and take part in a range of activities. Details of their visit will be recorded daily on their website www.4thlymm.org.uk
A few years ago the Lymm scouts hosted a visit of the Norwegian scout group 1st Fredrikstad at the Cheshire Chamboree camp. A party of 27 Lymm scouts and 27 Norwegian scouts enjoyed 10 days camping together.
They did a range of activities including go-karting, archery, sailing, high rope walks and circus skills.
Now the Lymm group is making a return visit and will be camping at their hosts’ forest camp site in a forest on the shore of a large freshwater fjord. A party of 20 Norwegian scouts will host the visit.
The two groups applied for and gained a £15,000 grant from the European Union under its Youth in Action initiative to fund the trip, after gaining advice from UK agents for the YIA initiative, The British Council.
The Lymm youngsters will work with their hosts to study the environment and the effect of climate change on the local fjords and countryside. Lecturers from Oslo University and other local experts will offer guidance.
Other activities will include cultural understanding workshops, drama sessions, camping on tiny islands in the fjords and home hospitality with local families.
A canoe hike through lakes and rivers and studying dual language films and developing a youth dictionary of Norwegian to English are also planned.
Earlier this year a small party from Lymm, scout leader Simon Fathers, his son George and girl scout Ellie Pickford, travelled to Oslo to plan for the visit, check airport arrangements and to meet their hosts and discus details of the visit.
Pictured…George Fathers and Ellie Pickford en route to Norway
