Scouts and leaders from the Nile2010 expedition team received a boost to their kit list today, when they were presented with five large kit bags and a variety of outdoor  toys by Cotswold Outdoor at Castle Lane.  The staff at the Cotswold store have also been encouraging customers to support the expedition with collecting pots at the tills.

The scouts had been holding a final training camp for their expedition over the weekend, then went to the store to receive the gifts.

Mike Harley, Expedition leader said “we have been supported in our fundraising by so many individuals and organisations.  These bags will help us to carry the additional equipment with us.  We are most grateful to Cotswold Outdoors for their support”.

The scouts will spend 5 weeks in Uganda, leaving the UK on July 26^th. They have raised an amazing £105,000 towards the cost of the project.

The project near Jinja in Southern Uganda is to build a training centre for orphans and vulnerable children.  A brick making machine has been bought to make the bricks for the centre.  The machine costing over £25,000.00 uses ‘road dirt’ and cement and with the aid of hydraulics can make over 400 bricks an hour. The machine will help the sustainability of the centre as it will create an income after the centre is built by selling bricks.

The UK scouts will camp with local Ugandan scouts and will undertake a variety of other activities whilst staying there, as well as travelling within Uganda. All of their camping equipment will be left behind for use by local scouts.  

Paul Stevens, Scout Leader said “we still have some way to go.  We still need to raise £13,000 to complete this first phase.  We are still negotiating for equipment that we will take to Uganda and leave for the use of the local scouts. Our efforts will continue at full pace until the day we leave, so perhaps we will see many of you at fetes and events between now and then.” 

Stuart Campbell store manager commented "we are proud to be linked in with such an active Scout group with such a worthy cause to support. I would encourage you all to consider donating or supporting the Nile 2010 project, please visit: http://www.nile2010.co.uk/supportus.html for more information. Just £1 will enable you to ‘buy a brick’ and support such a valuable project"

"We wish them the very best on thier expedition and trust all the hard work more than pays off"