Air scouts enjoy trip to coastguard rescue base

The 12 young people from the 6th Gosport (Rowner) Air Scout Group enjoyed the many activities on offer at the five-day camp organised to celebrate the anniversary.

As well as the adventurous activities the scouts normally enjoy in camp, they took part in a number of aviation-based activities, including parascending, a visit to an aviation museum, flight simulators, model aircraft flying, a tour of Newquay Airport and a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) session delivered by the RAF.

The highlight was the trip to the new HM Coastguard Search and Rescue base at Newquay Airport, including a guided tour of the new £25m search and rescue helicopter.

The scouts were given the opportunity to sit in the cockpit and the pilots explained the different functions and equipment of the helicopter.

The troop also enjoyed the Cornish scenery with a trip to Newquay beach.

Theresa Craven, volunteer leader of the troop, said: ‘I was very impressed with the event and how good the camp was.

‘Initially I hadn’t been sure what to expect from it.

‘The feedback from the scouts has been brilliant.

‘They are using the connections they have made and are already looking forward to making next year bigger, better and even more exciting.’

Air Scouts began in 1941 during the Second World War as a provision for young people too young for the Air Training Corps. But air activities formed part of the scouting programme long before then.

There are 6,000 Air Scouts in England. The troop is now looking forward to taking part in many more air activities with the help of the contacts and new friends they made at the camp.

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