Scout group appeal for leaders

The 1st Little Common Scout Group, set up in 1993, has approximately 70 youngsters including scouts, cubs and beavers.

They are based at the Methodist Church hall in Church Hill Avenue, Little Common, and meet every Friday evening from 7-9pm.

However the group has now reached crisis with only three adult volunteers to run the many different activities the youngsters take part in.

Group Scout Leader Ralph Larkin is appealing for volunteers and hopes they will step forward at the AGM to be held on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm.

He said: "The Assistant District Commissioner has written to all Scout parents informing them that the level of leaders and help in this section is untenable and unacceptable.

"If no help is forthcoming and district are forced to close the section, potentially approximately seventy youngster's could lose the opportunities that scouting provides."

Ralph has been in scouting for 18 years, having spent ten years with the 9th Bexhill Scout Group prior to joining the Little Common pack.

He said: "There are three of us running the section with 20 plus youngsters - but we need uniformed leaders. The District Commissioner sent out this letter to ask people to consider being put on the roster of volunteer helpers and that might be a step in the right direction but we have been down this road so many times before. It just doesn't go far enough. The answer is more leaders. If they are not going to be forthcoming then the longterm future of the group cannot be guaranteed."

Anyone interested in finding out more information can call Ralph on 01424 212088 or Dave King on 01424 844992.