When it comes to the world in which we live, the might of the Scouting movement can play a hugely vital role in driving positive change. We don’t have to look far in our county for examples of environmental initiatives or community upkeep that are making a difference.
Today is Earth Day, an opportunity for us to unite around themes of sustainability. This year’s theme is Our Power, Our Planet; an apt title to illustrate the wonderful work that 1st Wokingham Cubs are carrying out as part of their commitment to being Earth Tribe Planet Champions in 2025.
Last month, the Cubs teamed up with the Repair Café at Pudding Lane Nursery to build bird boxes out of reclaimed wood.
The Repair Café is another organisation run by a team of amazing volunteers, who explained to the Cubs why the need for boxes is important to support the local bird population. The Cubs even got to see a video of a bluetit nesting and laying eggs in one they made earlier (Blue Peter reference for those in the know!)
The Cubs worked in pairs to build a box each, following exceptional step-by-step instructions. They learned and used a variety of DIY skills along with problem solving and teamwork. All of this rewarded by taking home their very own bird box to put up in their garden!
The session contributed to increasing the number of boxes built by the Repair Cafe by 25, taking the total to over 630 since the beginning of 2024!
Summarising the experience, Cub Section Lead Volunteer Mike said: “At 1st Wokingham Cubs, sustainability, nature and the health of the planet are important to us. Knowing we are contributing to re-using materials and supporting our local wildlife really did make us feel like Planet Champions for an evening! We had a fantastic time and we’ve since had success putting the bird boxes up!”
