Following a visit by Loughton Astronomical Society, local Scout leader Irina Blagoeva is calling on more members of the community to share their skills and passions to help inspire young people
One of the most vivid memories from my childhood is gazing up at the clear sky on long summer nights. I was utterly fascinated by the sheer sight of the stars scattered across the Milky Way like musical notes, playing a tune of one day ending and another in the making.
As kids, we would count the stars, guess the constellations and even try to predict the next day’s weather by the number of stars. According to old wives’ tales, the more stars, the warmer the day. Was it true? I have no clue, but what matters is that the experience stayed with me. Fast forward to today: I still catch myself looking up at the sky, wondering what the next day may bring. It is that same special sense of wonder I hope every child gets to experience; just looking up, letting their minds pause and allowing their imaginations to take over.
As a recently appointed Scout leader at 36th Epping Forest South Sea Scouts (based in Woodford Green), I have been on a mission to find people who could introduce the scouts to the wonders of the night sky. After a quick search, I contacted the Loughton Astronomical Society, which runs a dedicated club for kids and weekly adult meetings. They accepted my invitation instantly. Following a month of planning and some warm-up discussions about space, Brian Morton, with three fellow members, arrived fully prepared, delivered a presentation and allowed each Scout to use the team’s personal telescopes for observation.
Ironically, it turned out to be an observation of the wall clock rather than the dazzling stars, as the weather was not on our side (despite carefully selecting the date to maximise visibility). Perhaps we should have followed that old wives’ tale and counted the stars the night before instead of trusting the forecast!
The Scouts, of course, had fun anyway; it was informative, hands-on and different to their usual routine. In fact, it inspired the leaders too, and we are now determined to incorporate stargazing into future camps.
Following the success of this event, I am keen to involve more people in real-life learning experiences for the Scouts. So, if you’ve got a skill, hobby or subject you are passionate about, know inside out and would be happy to share with others, please get in touch. Scouting has always been about more than just badges and meetings. It is about opening doors, sparking curiosity and giving young people opportunities they might not otherwise have.
If you would like to share your skills with the Scouts, visit swvg.co.uk/36th
For more information on Loughton Astronomical Society, visit swvg.co.uk/las
