KAYAKING has become a regular summer activity for scouts in Berkeley after funding was received to purchase necessary life-saving equipment.

Rather than being found at the town’s scout hut on Monday evenings, for the summer, the 1st Berkeley Scouts will be paddling around on the canal at Purton.

Assisted by scout leaders and volunteers, the boys are being taught to paddle kayaks, Canadian canoes and even a stand-up paddleboard.

Paddling has now become a routine activity for the group after funding was received from the firm which manages Berkeley Power Station, Magnox, to fund the purchase of buoyancy aids and new paddles.

Berkeley closure director for the company, Mike Heaton, said: “Magnox are delighted to support the Berkeley Scouts with their paddling and water safety skills.

“Promoting positive community projects such as this is important to us and we hope to be able to support other groups in the area through our sponsorship scheme.”

Last year, a team of Berkeley-based scouts successfully completed their Paddle Power Passport award, a nationally-recognised introduction to paddle sport.

Their new-found skills have already been put to good use on a weekend camp at Fairford, whilst some of the more experienced paddlers have tackled the River Wye.

The new equipment has also been lent to Berkeley cubs, brownie, the Diversity youth group as well as Sharpness brownies and scouts, Severnside scouts and the entire year 6 of Berkeley Primary School to allow them to take to the water.

For more information about the scouts’ paddling or scouting in general email Simon Day at simon@berkeleyscoutgroup