THE Bandon Scout Group competed in their national event, the Phoenix Challenge, and achieved a gold standard.

This is the first time the competing patrol has achieved gold since the group started back with competing in 2023.

The national competition involves the same activities as the county event.

The Scout Skills change annually and this year some of the programme entailed building hammocks and shelters from rope, filleting and cooking fish, building flagpoles with spars and sisal, first aid and handling emergency scenarios, as well as many other activities requiring teamwork and leadership.

The team consisted of: Robbie O’Leary, assistant patrol leader; George Malone, chef; AidanBolger, sous chef; Matas Valiukevicius, quarter-master; Erica Cyvas, scribe; Eoghan Kehoe, first aider; and Sophie Holland, fire-master.

The team was led by Alison Kelleher.

The leaders at Bandon Scout Group are incredibly proud of the team as they’ve seen the amount of work they’ve put in to achieve the gold, and how muchit means to them all.

A special mention went to Lucy Gilmartin and Adrian Wood, the Scout Section Leads, who invest so much time preparing the Scouts for the competition.