More than 6,000 Scouts and Guides celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Scoutabout at Ardingly in West Sussex – where the first ever Scoutabout was held in 1984.

Scouts, Guides, and adults from Haslemere joined their counterparts from Surrey to take part in more than 150 activities, including bus and car driving, bungee running, kayaking, archery, shooting, and caving.

The June weekend provided young people aged ten to 14 with a chance to try something new. The event was made possible by the hard work of 1,500 adult volunteers from Surrey, who performed various roles, from camp cooks to IT engineers.

Bear Grylls, Chief Scout, sent in a special message: “I really hope all of you have a brilliant weekend together, look after each other and most of all, have fun. So proud of what you all do, helping other people always, showing the true Scouting spirit, you are all amazing.”

The opening ceremony on Friday night featured music from Sour Kix, while Saturday night saw performances by Doubting Thomas and The Ariston. Throughout the weekend, Scoutabout FM broadcast live, with Explorer Scouts presenting shows and competitions sponsored by local businesses.

Marcus Martin-Burns, County Youth Commissioner for Surrey Scouts, said: “Seeing 5,000 Scouts and Guides come together has been truly awesome. A big thank you goes to all the leaders and service crew who made this weekend possible.”

Jasper, aged 11, from Haslemere district, said: “We liked the driving experience because we got to drive at age 11.”