A scout group that enables young people to take part in a range of water activities has launched a fundraising campaign so it can upgrade its ageing equipment and train its instructors.

River Teign Sea Scouts (1st Shaldon) hopes to raise £5000 from the fundraiser so it can continue to provide ‘healthy, wholesome activities that support young people’s development, education and leadership skills’.

The group, which is run entirely by volunteers, provides activities for over 100 children from Shaldon and the surrounding area.

‘Some of our equipment desperately needs updating and our volunteer scout leaders require specific safety training to ensure safety and skills development for everyone involved,’ said River Teign Sea Scouts Leader Sam Scolliock.

The group needs £2000 to replace the Vision sails on its boats. The current sails are more than ten years old and are ripped and fraying. Kayak instructor training will cost £1000, and the group also needs to raise £2000 to install sound baffling in its Scout Hut.

‘The hut is very noisy, which makes it difficult for the young people to hear instructions and is quite harmful to the ears of some of the most sensitive children,’ Sam explained.

As well as fundraising activities like a planned bingo evening and raffle at the Victoria Hall in Shaldon on March 25, The River Teign Sea Scouts have also approached local businesses with offers including sponsorship packages where local firms can have their logos printed on the sails.

‘Our children can't safely undertake water-based sports and skills development without this funding, not can we provide a safe and calm environment for them to participate in indoor activities,’ Sam said. ‘Any contribution would help and support our local children, and their development,’ she added.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the fundraiser can fisit the River Teign Sea Scouts (1st Shaldon) Justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crow.../river-teign-sea-scouts...