Gainsborough: Scouts and guides raise money for charity

Rotary President Tony Airey and Canon Mike Cooney together with Leaders, Guides and Scouts from the Gainsborough area with their Shelterbox cheque.

Shelterbox was adopted by the Rotary in 2000 as their millennium project and provides boxes of vital emergency equipment that can be dispatched to disaster areas at a moment’s notice.

“Each year Gainsborough Scouts and Guides celebrate their patron saint, St George, with a parade and service at Gainsborough Parish Church,” said group scout leader Jonathan Swatton.

“We have a theme for our service and this year we chose Shelterbox to reflect the international nature of Scouting and Guiding and our commitment to help others.”

“We issued a challenge to members to raise money to buy a shelterbox and left it to them to decide how to do it.”

The money was raised throughout the district by Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers from 1st (Morton) 3rd, 6th and 14th Gainsborough, Willingham, Haxey and Market Rasen Scout Groups and Rainbows, Brownies, Guides from 1st Morton, 2nd Gainsborough, Lea, Willingham and Sturton, together with the Gainsborough Division’s Senior Section.

Gainsborough Parish Church contributed to the collection, which will pay for one and a half shelterboxes.

“The hurricane in the Philippines has brought home the need for shelterboxes and to constantly renew stocks in readiness for the next disaster,” added Mr Swatton.