A group of Scouts who need to raise £40,000 so they can attend the world jamboree next year are getting closer to their fundraising target.

Group leader Alex Armstrong will take a nine Scouts on the world camp, which is being held in West Virginia and will see about 45,000 Scouts from around the world congregate.

While in West Virginia, the scouts will have a chance to show off Manx culture, volunteer in the local community, and explore matters such as sustainability. Before the scouts can get to West Virginia, they have to raise £40,000 to cover the trip’s costs.

While they began raising the money only in October last year, the group has so far raised more than £30,000.

This has been achieved through Christmas markets, running car parking at events all around the island, New Year’s Day dips, supporting other charities’ events and they organised special activities during TT.

During the fortnight, the Scouts ran tours of the scoreboard and control tower, the group also sold memorabilia including ’Jambo Bear’, one of which was given to the Duke of Cambridge for his son Prince Louis. During the evenings the Scouts were seen in Bushy’s, collecting donations.

Mr Armstrong confirmed the Scouts were planning to run the scoreboard and control tower tours again during the Festival of Motorcycling fortnight. Future events include a murder mystery night and sponsored abseil.

He said: ’The response to date from the public and local businesses has been phenomenal and we cannot thank the Manx population enough for their support.

’We may just reach our fund raising target by the end of the year.’

Keep up to date with the Scouts’ jamboree progress, on Facebook at ’WSJ2019IOM’, email [email protected] or visit www.WSJ2019IOM.wordpress.com