On a recent Sunday, adventurer Bear Grylls paid a visit to a group of young scouts in a soggy field in Bramhope. In his role as Chief Scout, Grylls attended the Central Yorkshire Scouts’ activity day, a special event to thank the organization’s members for their assistance in supporting local charities.
Supporting Charitable Activities
The Central Yorkshire Scouts comprise around 7,000 members from the Leeds and Wakefield areas. Some of these scouts have been working towards the Youth Commissioners’ Challenge badge, an award granted for their contributions to Candlelighters or the Leeds Children’s Hospital Scout and Guide Group.
During his visit, Bear Grylls expressed his admiration for the young scouts, stating, “I feel so proud of these kids, and it is a privilege for me to be here.” He emphasized the importance of making a difference through scouting and praised the young members for their community engagement.
Encountering Adventure and Skills
Grylls had the chance to meet the youngsters participating in various activities at the Bramhope Activity Centre, such as archery, climbing, fire-lighting, and acquiring other survival skills. Additionally, the Chief Scout inaugurated the centre’s new low ropes course, which required three attempts with an axe to cut the rope successfully.
The adventurer encouraged the young scouts to embrace the challenges and opportunities scouting offers, saying, “Part of the motto is we make a difference to people’s lives, reach so many different places and communities and give skills for life but also skills for adventure and thousands of kids will be part of this.”
The Growing Scouting Community in Yorkshire
Before leaving the event via helicopter, Grylls highlighted the increasing scouting participation in Yorkshire, a region experiencing tremendous growth in the movement. “There is something really special going on with scouting in Yorkshire. It is growing faster than ever before and reaching more and more different areas than before,” he said. He also commended Yorkshire’s community spirit and the efforts made by everyone to improve the lives of others, which aligns with the scouting movement’s core values.