HOUNSLOW'S last surviving scout group has appealed for new members in a bid to maintain the tradition in the town.
The 4th Hounslow Scouts, the sole remaining group in central Hounslow, is keen to hear from anyone interested in joining the movement.
Group leader Sue Klesel is particularly keen to bolster the number of beavers among the ranks of the club, based in Lampton Road, Hounslow.
"We are in the process of a recruiting drive for young people to become members of our group, as sadly now 4th Hounslow Scouts is the only scout group in Hounslow," she said.
"We would like to offer scouting and equal opportunities to all the young people in our local community.
"Activities include crafts, games, life skills, camping, day visits, making new friends, and having fun, to name just a few."
Mrs Klesel said there were as many as 17 scout groups in Hounslow during the movement's heyday in the 1970s and early 1980s.
She added that her group used to have the second biggest cub pack in the district but overall membership had fallen by more than half during the last 20 years.
The group currently has about 40 cubs, beavers and scouts in total, and 15 to 20 leaders.
The call for new members comes as the group celebrates two awards for its members.
Amber Charles picked up a Jack Petchey award for outstanding achievement, earning the group £200.
The 14-year-old was honoured for her commitment to the group, which she joined as a cub before progressing through the ranks to become a scout patrol leader.
In November last year, she was selected from 164 scouts to attend the world jamboree in Sweden in August next year.
Meanwhile, assistant scout leader Eoin Dhak has just achieved the Queen's Scout Award, the highest honour available to young people involved in the movement.
The 24-year-old, who only took up scouting four years ago, also recently earned the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.
