Newquay scouts are well prepared for future camping trips thanks to a £300 donation.

The 5th Newquay Scouts received the funds from the Towan Blystra Lions to buy lightweight camping equipment.

Scouts from the 5th Newquay Troop gathered at their Scout Hut to meet the vice-president and members of the Newquay Towan Blystra Lions and thank them for their support.

The Lions made the donation as part of the ongoing fund-raising project to help the Scouts develop an expedition capability.

The charity offered to sponsor several items of lightweight cooking equipment to ensure there would be sufficient for multiple teams to participate in an event later this year, which will see them earn their Expedition Challenge Award.

The Troop needed to significantly improve the scale of its specialist equipment that has to be small and light enough to be carried in rucksacks during the two day-long hikes that are part of the challenge.

The meeting was an opportunity for everyone to see the new equipment.

Towan Blystra vice-president Heather Stanley highlighted that projects to support young people were always particularly rewarding, and commended the Scouts for all the hard work they do to earn their awards.

The evening’s activities formed part of a session on learning about international disaster relief and the challenges faced by aid agencies to help large numbers of displaced people made homeless due to events like drought, floods and hurricanes.

The scouts were challenged to cook nutritious meals with minimal ingredients using only their lightweight equipment.

The Expedition Award is one of nine Challenge Badges available to Scouts, which cover everything from the traditions and values of Scouting to understanding the world around them, leadership, teamwork and traditional pursuits such as camping, survival skills and wider outdoor sports.

Achieving all nine awards is very rare but if they do, Scouts are entitled to wear the Chief Scout’s Gold Award which is the highest accolade they can earn as a member of the troop.

Troop leader David Wright said: “Without the equipment provided by the Lions it would have been challenging for us to provide the Scouts with the opportunity of achieving the Gold Award.

“We are a very outdoor-orientated troop and this equipment will be put to great use.”

The Lions members were invited to watch the aspiring chefs in action and then to sample the food that was cooked.

The Ukrainian potato pancakes were apparently a big hit and helped prove “that even with minimal resources, we can still help those in need and those suffering from the impact of both natural and man-made disasters,” said mr Wright.

Parents and carers interested in their children becoming involved with Scouting in the area, can visit scouts.org.uk/get-involved