Great start for Warwick Sea Scouts’ £1.5m appeal

The 56-year-old watched all three of her daughters gain so much from the 2nd Warwick Group that she became involved herself and has spent the past ten years leading the cubs’ programme.

“I teach canoeing, kayaking and traditional scouting activities but for the next four months it will be just the open road for me,” says Janet.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for years. I’ve been a keen walker all my life and the idea of taking time off to walk from the top to bottom of Britain has always been my ambition.

“And as well as raising money for a very good cause it might show others, especially other middle-aged women, that it’s nonsense to think we’re too old to take on tough physical challenges.”

But then Janet has to doff her hiking hat to fellow sea scout supporter Ray Southall, who at 76 took part in a sponsored skydive with his grandson James, aged 13, grandaughter Rachel, aged 11, and son-in-law David Eslick.

Ray said: “The grandchildren were asking me to sponsor them on the skydive so I thought why not do it myself.”

They were part of a 23-strong group of scouting daredevils who reckon they’ve raised £1,000 towards the appeal.

The new scout HQ, to be built next to the leisure centre in St Nicholas Park, Warwick, is expected to take two years to build.

Formal letters to local trusts, companies and national charities will be sent out over the next few weeks.

The first half of the appeal will be to collect £650,000 to sink the foundations and build the shell of the building.

The group are already shortlisted for some awards and are asking people to help boost the public vote for their bid to Aviva charity by viewing their video on http://www.2wk.org.uk/new-hq

By the end of this week Janet should have already completed the first 100 miles of her trek. She sees it as giving something to the organisation that did so much for her three daughters, one of whom went on to be one of the first women engineers in a naval submarine.

To sponsor her visit www.givey.com/janetjogle