A GROUP of fifteen West Devon scouts and leaders were amongst a party of 30 Devon Explorer and Network Scouts that travelled to Botswana this summer.

For three weeks in July/August the group worked on a building project at the national camp site, Boro River near Maun, for and with the Scouts of the Botswana Scout Association.

The original aim was to continue with an education hall, the foundations of which the previous groups from Scotland and Yorkshire had laid after they had built an ablution block in 2012.

Rob Wiggins from West Devon Scouts said: 'We heard a rumour at Easter time this year that there had been some vandalism at the site and that was confirmed to us about three weeks before we due to go and that it was serious.

'After some quick consultations we agreed that our aim now was to repair the ablution block and build a caretaker's house so that the site could be protected for the future.'

Two leaders from West Devon went a week ahead of the main party to oversee the repairs and prepare the camp site — managing to put the ablution block back in to action 30 minutes after arriving.

Despite an error with planning permission and struggling with getting materials for the building project, the team persisted and succeeded.

Mr Wiggins added: 'We had ten Botswana Scouts live and build with us and on the two middle weekends we had 40 to 50 local scouts — the older ones joined in the construction and the younger ones and our Young Leaders did some UK training, games and introduced them to a Devon clotted cream tea followed by fantastic camp fires.'

The end of the West Devon scouts and leaders' adventure saw them enjoy a two night safari to the north of the Okavango Delta along the Khwai River.

'The whole party survived the extreme camping conditions, Maun being a very dusty place, worked and lived with Botswana Scouts and learnt some new skills and saw some amazing animals in the wild,' said Mr Wiggins.