Scouting in Medway is one of our charities of the year for 2017. County commissioner Dean Harding says Scouting has so much to offer.

If you were asked to light a fire, canoe down a river or give CPR, could you? These are just some of the skills and activities more than 3,000 young people and adults get to experience in Scouting in Medway.

As the Medway Messenger Charity of the Year, we’re looking forward to sharing with you the adventure Scouting has to offer girls and boys in the local area.

Scouting in Medway is made up of 33 groups offering challenge and adventure to 2,500 young people aged six to 25.

We believe in helping our members fulfil their potential by working in teams, learning by doing and thinking for themselves.

Through Scouting, young people get to take risks in a safe environment, and have their first taste of responsibility, with experiences they’ll never forget.

In Medway we have a fantastic facility at Buckmore Park campsite and a climbing, activity and conference centre at Lower Grange Farm.

Both offer young people the chance to experience something different, including the opportunity to challenge yourself.

When a Beaver Scout wakes up the morning after a sleepover, or Cub Scout has just got over their fear of heights by doing their first abseil – that’s a true adventure.

Scouting in Medway provides over 200 activities from abseiling to zorbing. If we don’t have an instructor who can help we can normally find someone who can.

Scouting isn’t just about activities for their own sake. We encourage our young people to feel the buzz of the challenge and then reflect on what that means. Did they have fun? Do they feel more confident? Would they do it again?

Our members gain awards and badges to record achievement and take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, which links in to the requirements to gain the top award in Scouting, the Queen’s Scout Award.

All this is made possible by the efforts of 500 voluntary adult leaders. With training and one-to-one support, we make sure that each one of our volunteers gets to make best use of their skills and talents.

It’s what’s made us the largest co-educational youth movement in the country but we still need more of you to help so we can get every young person involved that wants to join the adventure.

The Medway Messenger has chosen to support two charities this year, Scouting in Medway and the Medway branch of Guide Dogs. Find out more abut Guide Dogs next week.