Teenagers from Bishop’s Stortford joined 45,000 other youngsters at the World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia in the United States.

Priva Hills, 17, Jocasta Moore, 16, Olivia Hamilton, 17, Tom Wilson, 17, Ella Fletcher, 15, Siena Graham, 14, Emily Scofield, 14, Luke McMahon, 16, and William Haslem, 15, were part of a 5,000-strong contingent from the UK.

The jamboree, which ended on Friday (August 2) after two years’ planning, offered the group the chance to learn new skills including zip wiring, scuba diving and white water rafting.

Tom said: “The jamboree is all about pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and trying new activities and doing things you would not normally do. I have become more confident while I have been on this experience.”

Emily said: “The World Scout Jamboree is amazing. The site is epically big but we have made loads of new friends from across the globe. We have met Scouts from almost every continent on earth and from places I have never even heard of.”

The nine-day event was opened by UK Chief Scout and television adventurer Bear Grylls, who said: ‘World Scout Jamborees only happen every four years and tens of thousands of Scouts attend each one. They are incredible festivals of peace, friendship and adventure. Young people will make friends for life with people from over 150 countries, experience different food, language and culture while learning new skills.

The 2019 Jamboree, jointly hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico had “Unlock a new world” as its theme, focusing especially on creating a sustainable world.

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