Scouting
Creating unforgettable adventures
I have always regretted never joining Scouting as a child but I have certainly made up for it since. Since 2002 I have helped create unforgettable weekends of adventure for thousands of young people.
The Apex Challenge is an annual event for Scouts aged between 14 and 25 which takes place every year in October. Around 400 young people compete in teams of three or four to complete as many activities as they can between Friday evening and Sunday morning.
Teams try to complete as many activities as they can such as rock climbing, canoeing and abseiling to collect points and climb the leaderboard.
At its simplest it is orienteering around large-scale set-piece activity bases. It also involves a lot of electrical equipment in a cold muddy field!
Here is a flavour of a recent event:
While the event takes place across just one weekend, the preparations for myself and the other volunteers who stage the event last for most of the year.
Alongside two friends I am one of the three trustees of the Apex Challenge charity. We are responsible for planning and staging the event and ensuring we manage the charity’s finances so it remains sustainable for the long term.
As well as helping to plan the actual event, I look after the competition’s website, branding and audio/visual presentations.Â
It’s hugely rewarding. I love getting to the end of a long and tiring competition weekend and hearing some of those taking part come and thank us for putting on an event they have enjoyed so much.
I am also really thankful that my employer supports me with three days of volunteering leave each year which is valuable time I use to make sure the competition happens.