EIGHTEEN months after they first got the call, Cardrona Scouts Jack, Anna, Alice and Ashley are ready for the experience of a lifetime when they leave Scotland this week to head off to Japan for the 23rd World Scout Jamboree.

The four Peebles High School students are beyond excited about what lies in store for them. The Jamboree is being held in Kirara-hama, Yamaguchi City and the theme of the jamboree is A Spirit of Unity. The Cardrona Scouts will experience Japanese home life when they stay with a Japanese family in Kyoto before heading off to Tokyo for a few days. On July 28, they will join with over 32,000 Scouts from 144 countries worldwide to share in the adventure. Since first finding out that they had been selected, the four Scouts have been busy raising money to fund the trip, not just for themselves but also for Scouts all around the world who would not have the opportunity otherwise.

The four have attended various training camps, including a day spent on exercise bikes in the hot house at the Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh to raise cash and get them used to the high temperatures and humidity they will experience in Japan.

They have enjoyed learning about Japanese culture and life with Japanese students at Edinburgh University, sampled food and drink they will find there and learnt a few phrases to help them along in Kyoto and Tokyo and at the camp site.

The Scouts return to Scotland on the 9th August and would be happy to share their experiences with any local groups who may be interested, please contact the group via Cardrona Scout leader Cheryl Turpie for details at cardronascoutgroup@gmail.com.

Fundraising is still ongoing and any donations would be gratefully received via the fundraising page https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/cardronascoutgroup.