Shropshire Scouts holding song-based bingo to fund trip to World Scout Jamboree in Poland
Two Shropshire Scouts are hosting a “singo bingo” night as part of a fundraising campaign to support a life-changing trip to the 26th World Scout Jamboree in 2027.
Ellis Alton, 12, and Arlo Green, 13, of Bayston Hill, will join 34 Scouts and Explorers from across Shropshire to become ‘Unit 57’ - one of the many units making up the World Scout Jamboree UK Contingent.
As part of the challenge, the young people need to fundraise towards the cost of the trip, and are encouraged to come up with events and activities using their own initiative.
Ellis and Arlo decided to team up for a bingo night with a difference at Bayston Hill Memorial Hall on Saturday, February 14, when participants mark off a variety of songs instead of numbers to fill their bingo cards.
Places are free and people can buy as many bingo cards as they like on the night, which starts at 7pm. People can reserve places by e-mailing glvbaystonhill@gmail.com.
The event will be hosted by BBC Radio Shropshire breakfast presenter Adam Green, while Ellis’s dad, musician Si Alton, will provide live music.
Ellis said he was keen to host singo bingo after seeing it at Shrewsbury Folk Festival last summer.
“We played singo bingo at the festival and it was really good fun, so when we were coming up with fundraising ideas for the World Scout Jamboree it was top of my list,” he said.
“I thought we would have a ready-made singer in my dad, who regularly plays gigs all over Shropshire, and we’re really pleased that Radio Shropshire’s breakfast presenter, Adam Green has agreed to be the compere.
“We will also have other games during the night, and a bar, so there will be lots of opportunities for people to donate money and have a good time.”
The pair are planning a variety of other fundraising activities over the coming months, as well as asking businesses for sponsorship and donations.
Arlo said: “I was really excited to hear I had been chosen to represent Shropshire at the World Scout Jamboree in Poland.
“It’s going to be an amazing experience and we are all really determined to help fundraise as much as we can towards the trip.
“As well as the singo bingo, I am going to be doing odd jobs and organising lots of other events, so it’s going to be hard work but I know it will be worth it.”
The World Scout Jamboree is the largest event organised by the largest youth movement in the world. Held every four years, the next event is in Gdansk, Poland, in 2027.
Scouts from Shropshire will be rubbing shoulders with thousands of young people from more than 200 countries, joining together in a spirit of friendship and learning from different cultures.
For more information or to make a donation visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/shropshirewsj2027.
