Six local Scouts on a mission to Poland — Can Peterborough help them get there?
Five young people and a Scout leader from Peterborough and Whittlesey have earned places at one of the world’s largest youth events — the 2027 World Scout Jamboree in Poland. They’re travelling across Europe by coach, and they’re asking their community to help make it happen.
In the summer of 2027, 50,000 young people from more than 170 countries will gather in Gdańsk, Poland for the 26th World Scout Jamboree — a global youth gathering held just once every four years. Among them will be five Scouts from our area: Ben Petto, Iris Tordoff, Lily Jakes, Lucas Tilley, and Sam Wood, alongside their leader Stu Facey.
The six are part of a larger Cambridgeshire unit selected to join the UK Contingent, but their roots are firmly local — all six are from Peterborough and Whittlesey, and it’s their community they’re hoping will back them.
The journey itself is part of the adventure. Rather than flying, the group will travel to Poland by coach, passing through several European countries on the way there and back — giving the young people a rich taste of the continent before the Jamboree even begins.
The Jamboree is widely regarded as a once-in-a-generation experience: two weeks living and working alongside young people from every corner of the globe, building friendships, exploring different cultures, and taking on real-world challenges together. Places are earned, not given — and Ben, Iris, Lily, Lucas and Sam have worked hard to secure theirs.
To get there, each participant must raise £3,490. That figure covers everything: the coach journey across Europe, full accommodation and meals at the Jamboree site, specialist training camps, unit kit, insurance, and even a contribution towards helping Scouts from lower-income countries attend. Not a penny is profit.
“I volunteer so that I can give young people the opportunities I had at their age,” said Stu Facey, who is attending his third World Scout Jamboree. “The experiences I had as a participant and as a volunteer will live with me for years to come. I hope Ben, Iris, Lily, Lucas and Sam will feel the same. Being a Scout leader has helped me develop skills I use in my job every day — communicating with people, managing teams, building relationships. These young people will come back from Poland with all of that and more.”
As well as individual donations, the group is keen to hear from local businesses and organisations who would like to support them. In return, the team is actively looking for meaningful ways to give back to the community — whether through local projects, skills-based volunteering, or partnership activities — and would welcome conversations with anyone who shares that spirit.
Donations of any size are welcome and go directly towards the cost of the trip for all six participants. You can support Stu, Ben, Iris, Lily, Lucas and Sam at:
Businesses or organisations interested in supporting the group or exploring a partnership are encouraged to get in touch directly using the contact details below.
Contact
Name: Stu Facey
Role: Unit Leader, Cambridgeshire
Email: [email protected]