Longford Scouts Conquer Everest in 14-Hour Fundraising Marathon
On Saturday 21 June, Longford Scout Group took on the incredible challenge of climbing the height of Mount Everest – 8,849 metres – in just one day using a mobile climbing wall at their Scout HQ.
Fuelled by determination, community spirit and a shared goal of refurbishing the toilets at the Ranche (their much-loved HQ), the group completed the final climb just after 10:30pm, completing the challenge in an impressive 13.5 hours.
Over 1,500 climbs were logged across the day as young people from every section – Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers – took to the wall. Parents, friends and members of the public joined in too, cheering, climbing, and contributing to the fantastic atmosphere between 9am and 1pm.
The day kicked off with a bang as our climbers lined up to cheer on the local parkrun, showing true Longford energy right from the start. Throughout the day, families enjoyed a buzzing Scout HQ with games, a bouncy castle, cakes, bacon butties, and plenty of tea and coffee to keep spirits high.
In the evening, the fun continued with a family quiz night, bringing together supporters of all ages. With laughs, tricky trivia and delicious chilli, it was a great way to wind down the day and celebrate our shared success.
Taking the final shift, our Explorer Scouts climbed through dusk to bring the challenge home. Their dedication helped us finish strong and wrap up a truly memorable day.
This event wasn’t just about climbing – it was about community. Everyone who climbed, donated, baked, volunteered, or simply came to support showed what makes Longford Scouts so special. It was a true team effort, and we couldn’t be prouder.
???? There’s still time to support us!
If you haven’t donated yet or would like to top up your sponsorship, it’s not too late. Every penny goes directly to improving the facilities for the 300+ young people who use our Scout HQ every week. You can donate online at:
???? https://donate.longfordscouts.org.uk
Thank you to everyone who made the Everest Challenge possible – we showed what we can achieve together!
Young Leaders Complete Full First Aid Training
Longford Scouts are thrilled to celebrate the achievement of our Young Leaders, who have successfully completed a full first aid course – the same extensive training taken by adult volunteers.
Over the course, the Young Leaders mastered vital skills including CPR, bandaging wounds (with some very creative bandage mummies along the way), treating burns, and managing emergency situations calmly and effectively. While there were plenty of giggles during practice sessions and a few questionable bandage techniques at first, the Young Leaders have emerged fully equipped with the knowledge and confidence to handle real-life first aid scenarios.
This training ensures that our Young Leaders are ready to support the younger sections safely and responsibly, providing invaluable assistance during meetings, camps, and activities. Longford Scouts are proud to invest in our Young Leaders’ development, helping them grow into capable, confident individuals who can step up when it matters most.
Well done to all our Young Leaders – we’re incredibly proud of your hard work and new skills!
Explorer Activities
It's been a busy few months for the Explorers. With there now being 36 Explorers in the Unit, we started off January by introducing some new patrols and Patrol Leaders and setting them against each other with some 'friendly' challenges. January also had the Explorers making Owens new and improved tin can stoves and even cooking a meal on them! February they were out on a night hike around Dunham Massey, which as usual finished with a forced march to get them back for parent pick up, only half an hour late! We covered choking, burns, bleeding & cpr in an Emergency Aid night. There have also been trips to the Buddhist Centre in Chorlton and an art gallery in Manchester. With there being lots of new Explorers we started March by having a mass Investiture in to Longford Explorer Unit which we followed with a 'rope' themed evening with tug of war and mat weaving from some old Scout climbing ropes. Finally, this week saw the Explorers cooking on different styles of expedition stoves and learning about the hazards of drinking water straight from rivers, with the methods they can use to purify the water when out on expeditions.
Explorer Activities
It's been a busy few months for the Explorers. With there now being 36 Explorers in the Unit, we started off January by introducing some new patrols and Patrol Leaders and setting them against each other with some 'friendly' challenges. January also had the Explorers making Owens new and improved tin can stoves and even cooking a meal on them! February they were out on a night hike around Dunham Massey, which as usual finished with a forced march to get them back for parent pick up, only half an hour late! We covered choking, burns, bleeding & cpr in an Emergency Aid night. There have also been trips to the Buddhist Centre in Chorlton and an art gallery in Manchester. With there being lots of new Explorers we started March by having a mass Investiture in to Longford Explorer Unit which we followed with a 'rope' themed evening with tug of war and mat weaving from some old Scout climbing ropes. Finally, this week saw the Explorers cooking on different styles of expedition stoves and learning about the hazards of drinking water straight from rivers, with the methods they can use to purify the water when out on expeditions.
Explorer Activities
It's been a busy few months for the Explorers. With there now being 36 Explorers in the Unit, we started off January by introducing some new patrols and Patrol Leaders and setting them against each other with some 'friendly' challenges. January also had the Explorers making Owens new and improved tin can stoves and even cooking a meal on them! February they were out on a night hike around Dunham Massey, which as usual finished with a forced march to get them back for parent pick up, only half an hour late! We covered choking, burns, bleeding & cpr in an Emergency Aid night. There have also been trips to the Buddhist Centre in Chorlton and an art gallery in Manchester. With there being lots of new Explorers we started March by having a mass Investiture in to Longford Explorer Unit which we followed with a 'rope' themed evening with tug of war and mat weaving from some old Scout climbing ropes. Finally, this week saw the Explorers cooking on different styles of expedition stoves and learning about the hazards of drinking water straight from rivers, with the methods they can use to purify the water when out on expeditions.
