Two days to go!

This year Scouting celebrates its centenary as 40,000 scouts from all over the world gather together for the centenary World Jamboree.

Next year the 1st Cheltenham (Highbury) Scout group will be celebrating its centenary.

In the sixteen years Felicity and I have been in ministry at Highbury we have been very involved in Highbury's Scout group. Felicity is now the Group Scout Leader and I, as Minister, not only lead regular Parade services I also do special evenings on astronomy and chess each year!

It seemed an opportunity not to miss to join the UK contingent and the International Support Team at the World Jamboree.

With two days to go our packing is nearly (but not quite!) done. We are hoping against hope our tents will have arrived ready for us to pick them up.

Our thoughts, however, are very much with everyone back at home. Cheltenham and the whole of Gloucestershire have been very badly affected by the flooding. We have just seen pictures of our main water supply centre disappearing under the flood waters and the town anticipates losing its water supply by later this evening.

With friends whose houses have been flooded our thoughts and prayers are very much with everyone here at home.

Our worries about camping in the rain pall into insignificance set against the plight so many of the folk around here are facing.

We are very much looking forward to the start of the World Jamboree later in the week. All the team leading the Jamboree and the youngsters making their way to it even now have been very much in our prayers at our services in church today.

Whether or not we shall be able to up date this blog once we get to the Jamboree remains to be seen.

You will be able to see up to date news at the Jamboree's news page ...

http://eng.thejamboree.org/news

We hope to keep you posted!

Every blessing,

Richard and Felicity