Scouts walk by water to raise cash for charity

A SCOUT group organised a sponsored walk from the River Holme to the centre of Holmfirth to support WaterAid’s life-saving work.

The high-profile event also raised awareness of the millions of women and girls who spend hours each day walking to collect water.

The group is among more than 27,000 young people from across the UK and globally who arranged walks as part of Scouting’s ground-breaking A Million Hands Campaign.

The events took place to mark World Water Day – a time to focus attention on the one in nine people who lack access to clean water.

The First Holme Valley Scouts completed the walk over the weekend of March 24 and 25, carrying hundreds of buckets of water to replicate the walk for water that millions of people across the globe endure every single day.

The Scouts raised more than £600 for WaterAid, well over their £450 target.

Sophie Bebb, leader of the First Holme Valley Scouts, said: “The Scouts were keen to raise awareness of global water and sanitation issues and have been learning about the positive impact of thinking globally and acting locally.

“We have been doing a lot of work around the topic of water and the children are now passionate about making sure that other Scouting communities across the globe have the same opportunities that they have here, and for the children that starts with the basics – access to clean water and sanitation.”

Ellie Simmonds, paralympian swimmer and ambassador for WaterAid and the Scouts, added: “It’s so easy for us to take clean water for granted, yet one in nine people live without it.

“Through my work with WaterAid, I’ve met families who don’t have clean water, and seen the devastating impact it has on their lives. Time spent collecting water keeps children out of school, while drinking dirty water can lead to diarrhoeal diseases that can be deadly.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way. Scouts up and down the country are showing how we can all play a part in helping get clean water to everyone everywhere. It is inspiring to see young people doing something to help the generation of tomorrow.”