Following yesterday’s advice from government Cumbria Scouts are suspending all face-to-face meetings, activities and events from today (Tuesday, 17 March 2020) until further notice.
The decision, in line with scout groups across the country, applies to both young people and adult volunteers and follows guidance released yesterday from The Scout Association. Leaders and groups will also be reassessing risk assessments for camps and events scheduled to take place later in the year before communicating further information.
The safety of our young people and volunteers alongside their families and the wider population is our highest concern” says Eddie Ward, Cumbria County Scouts Commissioner. “Whilst we are disappointed not to be able to provide adventure and skills for life in person at this time it is clear that the Coronavirus situation requires drastic action to help protect the most vulnerable in our society, and it would be reckless to allow meetings to go ahead at this time. We are currently exploring opportunities to provide scouting experiences remotely and will do all we can to support our communities through this difficult time.
“I am immensely proud of the dedication already shown by scouting volunteers throughout the county. Never has there been such a time to embody the core scouting values of doing our best and helping others, particularly the most vulnerable in our society. We hope to see a return to normality in due course but in the meantime recommend everyone to continue following the latest advice from government and monitor our social media channels for updates.
This suspension is currently indefinite, the fast-moving nature of the coronavirus means that this could quickly change. Cumbria Scouts’ management team will continue to liaise between individual groups across the county and the wider scouting family as the situation develops further.
