3rd Brentwood Scout Group thanking EBF for their generous charity support

A message from the team of leaders at 3rd Brentwood Scout Group, thanking the Essex Business Forum members for their generous donations and sponsorship of their most recent charity event:

To say that the British Heart Foundation Glasgow to Edinburgh 100km Trek we recently undertook was hard is, by any measure, an understatement. The fact that 220 people started it, and yet only 66 completed the full distance, speaks volumes.

Completing it, as we did, was an incredible achievement which is brought in to sharp focus by the fact that the 3^rd Brentwood Team made up more than 10% of those that staggered, hobbled and limped across the finishing line in Edinburgh on that wet Sunday morning.

Why did we represent such a large percentage of the finishers?

• Is it because, through Scouts, we have developed skills such as teamwork, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation and commitment? Most definitely.
• Is it because, as Scout Leaders, we want to show young people what you can achieve if you set your minds to it? Certainly.
• Is it because, as Scout Leaders and people that have been in Scouting for years we are the sort of people that are determined and work hard for great causes such as the British Heart Foundation and 3rd Brentwood Scout Group? You bet it is!

This really was no “walk in the park”. The difficulty of this challenge cannot be overstated. By the end, we were all exhausted and hurting but we never gave up. It really is incredible what the human body can endure if you are properly prepared and motivated. And motivated we certainly were.

Throughout every foot-blistering, knee-jarring and energy-sapping kilometre, the ever increasing level of donations and all the good luck messages really drove us on. As did the knowledge that our efforts will really make a difference. For your generosity and support, we thank you. You were very much part of that team that crossed the finish line in Edinburgh.

Through our collective efforts, we have raised funds to enable The British Heart Foundation to continue its vital research into heart conditions and to enable 3rd Brentwood Scout Group to continue building the urgently required extension to its Scout Hut.

From the Scout Groups perspective, through your support, including almost £2,000 donated by The Essex Business Forum members so far, we’ll soon be commencing the next phase of our “big build” with the construction of the shell and roof of the extension.

This will be followed by the fitting out phase including the addition of toilets, a kitchen and much-needed storage. The end result will be a much-improved scout hut where more young people will have the opportunity to reach their full potential through Scouting and do incredible things too.

Thanks again,

Scott, Steve, Paul, Dom, Alistair, Gareth, Andy, and Sean.
(and the other 10 or so adult volunteers in our group, and the 80+ young people from 6 to 18 years of age who form 3rd Brentwood Scout Group)