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Press Release
Scout Leaders travel to Orchard Farm

Over 30 leaders from across the Bishops Stortford and District Scout network have signed up
for a weekend away at Orchard Farm in the Peak District for a fun filled weekend of activities
and adventure. This took place over the weekend of Friday 18th June to Sunday 20th June and
gave leaders a chance to socialise away from the young people.

Fiona Bishop, District Commissioner said “we saw this trip as an opportunity to help support
our adult leaders, build confidence, increase team spirit and share the best practice across
the district so we can do more for our young people as a team”

Orchard farm, a centuries-old farmhouse in the Staffordshire Peak District, has been
converted by Hertfordshire Scouts and Guides as an ideal base from which to explorer the
Derbyshire Dales. It is now just one of Hertfordshire’s Wild County activity centres boasting
easy trails for walking with many more adventurous ones nearby. With plenty of opportunities
for rock climbing in the Roaches or mountain biking the leaders weren’t going to get bored.

Susan Morley from Silver Leys Group said of the weekend “It’s always good when leaders get
together as it provides us with the opportunity to meet new people, share our concerns and
get lots of new ideas for our sections. A lot of fun was has by all, which is what its all about!”

With such a range of activities, the first time trying for some leaders, the first event ever of this
calibre, to be held by Bishops Stortford and District Scouts and solely for leaders only, was a
great success with many more planned for the future.

If you or anyone you know wishes to volunteer for scouting or just for more information please
contact Marijke Balaam on 01279 653385 or email mkbalaam@googlemail.com

About Scouting:

 The Scout Association was founded on 1st August 1907.

 Adventure is at the core of Scouting, and the Association passionately believes in

helping their members fulfil their full physical, intellectual social and spiritual potentials
by working in teams, learning by doing and thinking for themselves.

 Over 200 activities are offered by Scouting around the UK, made possible by the
efforts of more than 94,000 voluntary adult leaders. This has helped make Scouting
the largest co-educational youth Movement in the country.

 One of the challenges that the Scout Movement faces is finding more volunteers to
plug the current gap. At present there are more than 33,000 young people on waiting
lists.

 Adults working in Scouting contribute in excess of 364 million hours of voluntary work
each year to their local communities.

 The number of volunteers working for Scouting is bigger than the combined
workforces of the BBC (24,000) and McDonalds (67,000) put together.

 Worldwide Scouting has 28 million members both male and female and operates in
nearly every country in the world.