Members of the ICM Communications team have returned from a week-long trip to Uganda, where they accompanied scout leaders from the 38th Bournemouth Scouts & Avon Explorers group ahead of the Nile 2010 project next year.

For part of the visit, the group stayed at the beautiful Buwenda Campsite in Jinja. Situated on the banks of the River Nile, this picturesque building was built by Avon scouts as part of a ten-year project and is a shining example of what can be achieved through scouting partnerships.

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Mike Harley, leader of the Nile 2010 expedition, explained the reason for the visit: “This week is all about finding out everything we need to know before we bring the scouts here. It’s a big responsibility, bringing other people’s children to a country many thousands of miles from home and so different, so this week we’ve been visiting the campsite, been into Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, we’ve also visited the British High Commission and made a tremendous number of contacts as well that will be useful to us when we come.”

ICM Communications joined the team to film and photograph the area and interview the scout leaders – the Institute is one of the organisations sponsoring Nile 2010. “We’ve received incredible support from the public along with the churches and organisations in Bournemouth. The support we’ve received from ICM will be invaluable to the work we’re going to do – the brick-building machine is going to be the enabler that makes this project really work. We’re humbled by the support we’ve had for the project so far,” commented Mike.

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In order for the Nile 2010 project to happen, the scout group has to raise £100,000, so every scout is busy finding ways to make money in “numerous fantastic different ways,” as Andrew Stevens, one of the scout leaders, explained. “They’re going out doing absolutely anything, they’re talking with their schools, getting them involved with dress-down days, they’re washing cars, doing jobs for absolutely anybody – they are working fantastically hard for this.”

If you would like to offer your support for the trip or make a donation, please contact Mike Harley on 01425 655715 or by email: mike@inspirx.co.uk. Alternatively, visit the Nile 2010 website: www.nile2010.co.uk

By Susanna Woods