Scout leaders launch fundraising campaign
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Two Aberchirder Scouts leaders have launched a fundraising campaign as they get ready for an adventure of a lifetime driving from the Aberdeenshire town to Nepal next year.
Leaders Claus Nielsen and Robert Fowlie will take off in a Landrover to Pokhara, Nepal on Saturday, August 29, 2020, to meet up with a twinned group.
They are looking to raise £12000 for the trip to go ahead.
Explaining the reasons behind the challenge, Claus who will be the driver, mechanic and cook on the trip said: “It is an adventure going into the unknown and Scouts just on a bigger scale.
“ I have travelled a lot in Europe and have been lucky enough to sail around the world 7 times.
“Expeditions like this frequently take you off track.
“We want to meet different Scouts, see places as they truly are, and being outdoors for days, weeks or months at a time.
“I can’t think of a better way to explore countries than on expedition.
“These adventures force us to think on your feet and be adaptable to new situations.
“This trip will stretch our comfort zone and in 30 years you'll probably regret the things you didn't do, rather than those you did.
"We can inspire other Scouts to go on their own adventures and explore the world."
The trip that is expected to take between 5 to 8 weeks will take the pair through Scotland, England, Europe, India, Iran, Pakistan and Nepal.
While navigator Robert Fowlie added: “I'm looking forward to meeting new people and experience an adventure which will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.
“I can't wait to go and experience it.”
The trip has gained a lot of attention across the globe thanks to their ever-growing Facebook page.
Pakistan's Scouting Association have offered them free accommodation at their National Scout Training Camp Site in the capital city Islamabad.
He added: “I'm well chuffed with the response to the trip as there has been a lot of interest.
“The Pakistan Scouting Association have offered to support us with accommodation which is great.”
He hopes that the pair can use the trip as a platform to raise awareness about mental health and some money to support charities.
This comes after a recent study suggested people who were in the Scouts or Guides in childhood have better mental health in later life.
Analysis of a study of 10,000 people by researchers at Edinburgh and Glasgow universities found ex-members were 15 percent less likely than other adults to suffer anxiety or mood disorders at the age of 50.
He said: “We are looking to explore if issues that face other countries are the same as our own.
“We want to support mental health charities and learn more about how other countries deal with it especially with the rise of social media.
“It is a big issue in this country and it would be great to give something back."
Anyone interested in supporting the pair in any way should visit www.facebook.com/Aberchirder-to-Pokhara-Overland-Scout-Trip-108255140614188.
