Scouting

with pride…

by Ruth Lawrence

Tom Hylands is a first year university student for a degree in Politics, yet he still finds time to volunteer as an Explorer Scout Leader for a unit of 14-18 year olds in Burgess Hill.

t all started nine years ago when a friend took Tom along to a Scouts meeting. What began as curiosity led to a genuine involvement in the Scouting movement. Tom talks about Scouting with pride and knowledge of how effectively it forms a sense of belonging. “It’s amazing. For some of the kids, the Scout meeting can be the best night of their week. They get the chance to share positive experiences and activities they normally wouldn’t get involved with.” Suffering asthma at an early

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age, Tom clearly remembers the thrill he got from experiencing ‘safe danger’ within the challenging activities the Scouts had on offer. Basically, if a discipline has a governing national body, the Scouts can give it a try so long as they raise their own finance via the weekly subs and fundraising events.

In 2007, a team of four Scouts

from Hampshire climbed Everest. Closer to home, they can begin with a climbing wall at their local leisure centre. “As part of the Scouts, kids can go from climbing a wall to scaling Mount Everest,” says Tom.

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Tom’s enthusiasm for the outdoors began when the family would go camping in the New Forest. He was and remains a keen rugby player, refereeing each weekend for a local team and finds the time to work towards his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. I asked him about

the rewards of giving his time to the Scouts and he smiled. “The positive feedback I’ve had from kids and their parents makes

“Knowing you’ve had an impact on someone’s life is an incredible feeling.”

everything worthwhile. Knowing you’ve had an impact on someone’s life is an incredible feeling.” As becoming a Scout

automatically makes you part of a 28 million strong group, it certainly makes being a gang member look a bit tame. In 2007, Tom went to the World Scout Jamboree in Essex attended by 40,000 Scouts. He pointed out that youngsters from countries at war with one another were working and playing together. Surely there’s a lesson for the politicians here?

Hoping eventually to become a political journalist, Tom’s Scouting activities have already come in handy there, too. He was one of two Scouts introduced to the Queen during a ceremony at Baden Powell House. “I spent an hour in conversation with her and thought she was amazing. She seemed genuinely interested and very down to earth.” He has also met David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Tom has the gift of

communication coupled with a real desire to bring people together to share common experience. In a media saturated with images of teenage asbos, hoodies and indifferent youth, he paints an alternative picture. Here’s a rebel with a definite cause. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20