Shottery scouts’ Christmas post is back for its 20th year

IT’S another first class performance from 1st Shottery Scout Group who’ve launched their Christmas card postal service with the help of the mayor.

Now in its 20th year, people can post a card for 50p or five cards for £2 in scout post boxes located at Tesco Birmingham Road; Morrisons; Co-op, Trinity Mead; Simply Fresh, Evesham Road; Stratford Library; Shakespeare Hospice Bookshop; Tesco Express, Banbury Road; Clopton Stores, and Shottery St Andrew’s Church.

The collection and delivery , which operates only in Stratford, is a real team effort involving beavers, cubs, scouts and group leaders.

Rob Farquharson, group scout leader at Shottery, said: “Last year we delivered over 2,000 cards which was magnificent. We raised £1,000 which was used for the scout group camp and buying equipment.

“We’ve got 140 children in the group aged between 10 and 14 who all get involved with collecting the Christmas cards, stamping them with the 1st Shottery badge and sorting them alphabetically in road order. We do our deliveries on foot and in uniform on 22nd December in time for Christmas.”

The scouts have, for the first time, chosen a charity to raise money for – Stratford Samaritans.

Rob said: “Samaritans work 24 hours a day, seven days a week for people who need help.

“The scout group looked at all the charities in Stratford and thought this is a charity we’d like to support.