Rough night out for scouts (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Rough night out for scouts

SCOUTS from Highworth will be roughing it for the night to draw attention to the plight of refugees.

Terry Shipp, pictured, of Phoenix Explorers Scouts, said the stunt is even more topical after last week's devastating hurricane in the United States, which displaced thousands of people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

He said: "We will take the lads to a field and they will have to make their own bivouac out of materials they find lying around.

"All luxuries like mobile phones and sweets will be taken off them.

"They will be given very basic food like flour and rice the kind of food refugees can expect."

Mr Shipp hopes the stunt will encourage scouts to work together and appreciate life is not rosy for millions living in poverty.

"If they are going to be comfortable they will have to work together," he said. "Water will be available but they face a long walk to get it. So teamwork will be required.

"They will have to work together and take turns to do chores."

The sleep-out takes place on September 24.