Scouts from Acomb took over the National Space Centre with over 500 Scouts

Leicester, UK – 6th October 2024: Scouts from 2nd Acomb and over 500 Scouts from across the UK took over The National Space Centre. They participated in an exciting day of learning and adventure to celebrate the launch of the highly anticipated new Scouts Space Badge, offering young Scouts the opportunity to immerse themselves in the wonders of space and aviation first-hand.

The new Scouts Space Badge is aimed at inspiring and educating the next generation of explorers by building on skills that are less commonly accessible to young people, such as space science, astronomy, and aviation technology.

UK astronaut in training Meganne Christian joined in the fun, providing the Scouts with personal insights into the rigorous training and unique experiences of their jobs. Throughout the day, Scouts engaged in a variety of interactive activities, hands-on experiments, and captivating presentations from the leading space experts.

Highlights of the event included a range of engaging activities that captured the curiosity of the Scouts. They participated in astronaut training sessions that mimic the physical and mental challenges faced by real astronauts, explored the exhibits that offer an interactive exploration of the solar system, and also the expert shared talks and Q&A sessions to give the young people an opportunity to ask any questions they are eager to know.

Dwayne Fields, Chief Scout, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative: The introduction of the new Space Badge is brilliant and this special trip to the National Space Centre opens up a world of possibilities for our young people’s futures. So wonderful to see that learning and gaining new skills can be fun and that our Scouts are making amazing lifelong memories along the way!”

Chas Bishop, Chief Executive of the National Space Centre said: “We are thrilled to host this event at the National Space Centre and support the Scouts in their mission to provide young people with unique and enriching experiences. The launch of the Space Badge aligns perfectly with our goal to inspire curiosity and passion for space exploration among the youth."

Betsy, from Acomb, aged 12 said: “I loved the experiments and all of the space science. It's a great chance to do things we normally wouldn't do and it's incredible to do it all with my friends.”

With this trip, Scouts are exposing young people to careers in space and aviation fields that they might not have typically had the opportunity to explore. This day was inspiring for the young attendees, and may even push them to pursue a future careers available within these specialised industries.