Trip of a lifetime for New Mills scouts to Switzerland

The Sett Valley explorers started in April 2023 and in just a short time they now have 26 members, 12 of whom went to the scouting camp Kandersteg in Switzerland.

For leader Ethan Williams the trip was not just for his young explorers but for him too.

He said: “My dad was the last group to go on an international venture and that was back in the late 1980s.

“I grew up on the stories he shared and how it was wonderful but sadly for me there was never the option for me to go abroad.

“So when we set up the Explorers I said we were going to be different and we would do it.

“We as a group decided what we wanted to do and the young people worked so hard to make it happen.”

They planned an itinerary and realised if they wanted to do all of that they would need to fundraise even more money.

Ethan said: “It was so important to me that the young people were involved with organising it - this is their trip.

“We applied for grants from New Mills Town Council, asked businesses for sponsorship, got donations of clothes as well as money from bucket collections during New Mills Carnival and Hayfield May Queen.

“And with all of this we managed to keep the individual costs down for each person which was great.

“A huge thank you to the whole community who got behind our first international trip - we really wouldn’t have been able to do it without your support.”

The group travelled to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre and there they met and mingled with scouts from across the country and around the world.

“There were scouts from Peru, New Zealand, Australia, as well as Germany, Cyprus and Portugal and it was great to see our scouts chatting, swapping neckers and customs with different scout groups.”

The High Peak scouts took hundreds of packs of Swizzels Love Hearts with their Sett Valley Explorer Scout logo to give out to their new friends.

“The first night was international camp fire celebrations and our group chose to open the camp fire for 2,000 people with our songs which was just incredible.”

Ethan says the Explorers days were jam packed with adventures and new experiences.

The first day we did a hike to an Alpine cheesery and climbed hundreds of metres in a short time which was no mean feat considering how tired everyone was.

“A few days later we did an overnight hike and walked up a gorge and saw a glacier and hiked through beautiful woodland and waterfalls and mountains.

“At our highest we were 2,860m above sea level and carrying all of our equipment so we were pushing our bodies to the limit but every child made it to the top - higher than two Snowdons.

“This was a testament not just to their resilience but also the trust they put in us as their leaders.”

Ethan says that particular aspect of the trip forged a deeper connection with the explorers and the leaders.

“We believed in them and that made them believe in themselves and I’ve never been more proud of them as when we all made it to the top. - and back down again which was still tough.”

Ethan said: “This was the trip of a lifetime. We went tobogganing, and swimming in lakes.

“I know they have made memories that will stay with them forever.

“For some of our team they had never been abroad before and we got to show them a beautiful part of the world.

“Scouting is built on friendship and adventure and in a world where there is so much turbulence and worry going on it was nice to switch off from that, be present and build bonds.”

Ethan says he was part of the King’s Coronation with scouting as well as being invited to Windsor Castle but the trip to Switzerland was easily his favourite ever scouting memory that will stay with him and the young people for years to come.

The Explorers have now returned home and on Friday October, 16 they group will be premiering the film at New Mills Art Theatre which documents their trip and is open for all of the community.

Ethan said: “We were given a camera to go and make memories and we want to show people who supported our trip and the community what we got up to and say if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have had the experiences we did.

“But this isn't just a film about one trip.

“It's about what Scouting can give young people when they stick with it.

“We want our younger Scouts and Explorers to see what is possible when they keep pushing themselves, getting involved and taking the opportunities that come their way. From local camps and expeditions to international adventures, Scouting can open doors to experiences that young people may never have imagined.

“If you're a young Scout wondering whether to keep going — this is why you should.”

During the film night, which starts at 6.55pm there will be presentations and a chance for the Explorers to relive highlights of their adventure.

The Explorer Scouts want to thank New Mills Emporium for sponsoring the camera, Visit New Mills, Hayfield Mayqueen, The Masonic Lodge, Swizzles Matlow, and New Mills Art Theatre for their support.

For the clothing sponsors thanks go to HP Dowell & Sons, B. FowlersTree and groundwork services, S ‘n’ Trees, JLH Group NW Ltd, A Green Electrical Services, Made by Amy, Paul Sutherland Reay, Jacob Poulter Excavation & Landscaping, Peak Power Gym, A. Allen & Son Chartered Accountants, JTK Mini Cranes Ltd, District Coffee Shop, Kinder Engineering Ltd, Clayton Chartered Accountants, Fields to Fabric and David Wood Domestic Appliances.