Nine children from 1st New Longton Scouts, aged 4-6, achieved their Chief Scout Acorn last week – the highest award for the Squirrel Section.

The children only had a few months to achieve their award, as the section opened in May with some doing extra badge work at home to ensure they achieved it before their sixth birthday.

They tried new activities including visiting a local fire station, going on a hike in the woods and cleaning up litter. They also had been using their imagination to build models from recyclable materials, tried fencing, learned how to care for hedgehogs, tried food from different places around the world and learned songs to sing around a campfire.

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The children’s parents said their children had gained skills for life and confidence through joining the scouting movement.

Leader of the Squirrels, Chris Worthington (known to the children by his Squirrel name Duggee) said: “I am really proud that we can offer such incredible opportunities for these children. They benefit from the opportunity to learn new skills and go on amazing adventures with their friends. 

“I would encourage any parent to consider getting their child involved in Scouting and for any adults to consider getting involved as a volunteer. It is only due to our fantastic volunteer team that we can offer these experiences.” 

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Next week, the children will start the next part of their scouting journey moving up to Beavers, with some going on their first camp in January with the rest of the group.

If you or your child is interested in joining Scouting in Lancashire visit the scouting website.

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