A GROUP of Scouts have jetted off for a unique experience at a camp in Finland.

The 17 youngsters, led by Scout leader Ian Brown, have been working hard at fundraising for months to help cover the cost.

They headed to Roihu, a Scout camp in Evo, southern Finland along with around 17,000 other youngsters.

Mr Brown said he was ‘very proud’ of the group for all their hard work.

He said: “Broadmayne First Scouts only started in September 2014 with eight young people.

“Now, we are coming up to our second anniversary and we have 33 members – that’s down to a lot of hard work and support from parents.

“It was always an ambition to try and go on an international camp. A lot of groups which have been running for years have relationships with Scouts in other countries, but as a new group, we don’t have that.

“There’s a global jamboree, such as the one held in Japan last year, but it can be very difficult to get a place on that because everyone wants to go, and it can be very expensive.

“Then we heard about the one in Finland.”

Parents have contributed some funds, and the young Scouts have been busy packing bags at the Waitrose store and helping to marshal at the Race for Life event in return for donations to their cause.

Mr Brown said the group has also been ‘helped enormously’ by G Crook and Sons, who provided a mini bus to take them to and from the airport.

He said: “I think they are all quite excited about it now.

“We’ve already made contact with the group who will be acting as our hosts and we’re going to keep parents updated on our Facebook group.

“There are some really fantastic activities on offer.

“The whole object of Scouts is self-development.

“They join at 10 and leave at 14 and in between they grow physically, but they also grow in confidence, they grow intellectually and they have these life experiences to get skills which will set them up for life.”

In the two years since the group was launched, the youngsters have been flying, climbing on Portland, sailing and caving, to name just a few activities.

The group is open to boys and girls.

Anyone who wants to get involved and support their local Scout group by volunteering is asked to get in contact by emailing joining@dwdscouts.org.uk