The first British astronaut to walk in space, Tim Peake, cuts the ribbon on the new scout hut in Haywards Heath. This new and exciting attraction opened on Friday in West Sussex. The upbeat event was more about celebrating the community’s amazing accomplishment. They mobilized their community to raise more than £850,000 to construct a new home for the Fifth Neighbours East Scout group. More than 50 scouts, aged four to 14, were on hand for the grand opening, which promises to be a game changer for local youth programming.
Speaking during the ceremony, Peake said he was awed by the community’s commitment and fundraising success. He shone a light on the value of programs like these in creating opportunities for young people to grow and develop into strong leaders.
“It was really important to get involved with the guys because that’s where my journey started, you know, getting exposed to the great outdoors, meeting other people,” he stated.
In an amusing aside, Peake admitted he had forgotten his ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors in the car. He regaled us with thrilling stories from his adventures in the cosmos. He remembered how common objects – scissors, batteries, whatever – would just float directly past your head while you were spacewalking.
All those skills that are so important in everybody’s life about how you get on with other people, how you build teams, how you communicate together, work together, make decisions… that’s what scouts does, Peake elaborated.
Peake, a 53 year-old musician from Chichester, recalls just how powerful the experiences and lessons he learned as a young scout were. Those adventures served him well during his six-month mission aboard the International Space Station from 2015 to 2016. He stressed the importance of being resilient and working as a team.
I believe first aid was my very first scout badge, and boy has that been useful, he added.
The mood at the summit was merry, with bunting adorning the venue to congratulate Peake on her visit. Mark Schofield, the chief scout volunteer for Mid Sussex, said he was teeming with technical enthusiasm at seeing the event. He underscored the inspiring effect that Peake’s presence was having on the scouts.