Serena Tierney supports help for Scout and Guide leaders

Mid Sussex Liberal Democrat campaigner Serena Tierney has pledged her support for a campaign to recruit more Scout and Guide leaders.

Nationally, 50,000 young people are on waiting lists to join Scouts or Guide groups because of a shortage of leaders. Serena has backed action to lift some of the barriers that prevent people volunteering to become leaders.

These include difficulty in arranging leave from work to attend training or camps. Serena has asked for a meeting with Mid Sussex Scout and Guides leaders to discuss the issues they face.

She said: "I was myself a Brownie and then a Guide and very much enjoyed it then and have continued to appreciate both the fun that I had and the benefits of the experience and skills that I learned. I know the benefits both to the young people who participate in the Scouting movement and to their communities.

"Clearly, the opportunities that I had will only be available to young people today and in the future if there are enough volunteer leaders.

"At present, we seem as a society to putting up ever-increasing hurdles to those who are prepared to volunteer their time, effort and experience to help others. This is a serious mistake."