Ludlow Scouts complete community project with badge award
More than 20 Ludlow scouts have been presenting with a brand new badge as part of a scheme to get them involved with their local police and community.
The Community Challenge Award has been running for the past few months between the Scouts Association and West Mercia Police.
Members of the 1st Ludlow Scout Troop began an extensive project to tackle littering in the town, after establishing that it was a problem having a big impact on the community.
They took part in several walk abouts in the town, met with local community leaders, police and councillors, carried out litter picks in which 15 bags of rubbish were collected and designed posters to educate people about the problems dropping litter causes.
As reward for all their hard work, each youngster was presented with a Partnership Community Badge on Friday 15 July 2011.
"I have immensely enjoyed working with the scouts, who have shown a real commitment to their chosen problem and seen their actions through.
"They have helped educate the communities of Ludlow and sought to make the town a better place to live and work in.
"An added bonus of the scheme was the way it helped break down barriers between the young people involved and the police in particular, giving them a better understanding of policing and building their confidence in dealing with us."
PC Wood also thanked all those who helped support the scouts in implementing their project.
They are Mayor of Ludlow, Councillor John Aitken, Councillor Rosanna Taylor-Smith, Kate Adams and Heidi Steele from Shropshire Council's Street Scene and Scout Troop Leader Jonathan Booker.
"Without their help and support the Community Challenge Award would not have been the success it has," said PC Wood.
"I also hope the scheme will instil confidence in other scout troops to take up the challenge with their own Local Policing teams."
These sentiments were echoed by Councillor Aitken, who thanked all the scouts that took part.
