Newbury cub scout leaders take on triathlon challenge

Fundraiser aims to raise cash for new scout hut

A GROUP of Newbury Cub Scout leaders will be setting off on a gruelling 15-hour challenge next month in an effort to raise funds for a much-needed new Scout hut.

Paul Jackson, Jacqui Masoero, Rob Whitehead, all aged 46, and Tony Higgs, aged 53, will be canoeing, cycling and running their way from Newbury to Gilwell Park – the home of the Scout Association on the outskirts of London.

The leaders at 3rd Newbury Scout Group have been fundraising for the last three years, and are aiming to reach their fundraising target of £70,000 to pay for a new hut for the group.

Assistant Cub Scout leader Paul Jackson has been involved with the 3rd Newbury Scout Group for eight years and said that the funding is vital for the Scouts.

He said: “Our current hut is really on its last legs – it’s small, cramped and rat infested.

“Although we can still just about use it, it really does limit our numbers and prevents the group from growing.

“We have two groups who use the hut and it can be quite a squeeze when everyone’s in there.

“A new hut will give us more space to do more activities with the children and also hopefully allow us to attract more members.”

The four friends will set off on September 19 and will be canoeing 19 miles from Newbury to Reading.

They will then saddle up and cycle the 42 miles from Reading to Barnet and then jog and walk the remaining 15 miles to Gilwell Park in Essex.

If Paul and his fellow Cub Scout leaders are successful in reaching their target by the end of 2015, they will be able to secure a grant from the Greenham Common Trust that will match the £70,000 already raised.

And with £29,000 still to go Mr Jackson said he felt they had to take their fundraising up a notch.

“We’ve done the Three Peaks and a few 50-mile walks in the past,” he said.

“Because we still have a long way to go to get to our target, we really felt that we needed a really big push and so we wanted to do something a bit different.

“I’ve done a bit of canoeing in the past, but with a couple of them it was a challenge to get them to just sit in the canoe.

“We’re all really excited now, though, and can’t wait to get the challenge underway and hopefully raise a great amount of money.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.3rdnewburyscouts.org.uk or search for 3rd Newbury's Desperate Den on Facebook.