Town councillors have given £1,000 to help local Scouts fund a "life-changing" trip to South Korea this year.

Nine youngsters are currently raising £3,500 each to be able to join 40,000 other Scouts at the 25th World Scout Jamboree in August.

The Scouts have been fundraising for nearly a year now and set up a GoFundMe page at the start of 2022.

And following a decision by Kenilworth Town Council, they have been handed a major funding boost.

"I would very much like to support this," Cllr James Kennedy said at last week's finance and general services committee meeting. 

"Since Brexit there will be fewer and fewer opportunities for our young people to travel internationally so it is great to have this. 

"I understand that actually Kenilworth Scouts are particularly active and have been specially selected for this programme."

Councillors suggested they could also fund a gift for the Scouts to take to the jamboree and give to another troop to take back to their country.

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Cllr Kennedy also said the youngsters would be "great ambassadors of our town".

The focus at the 2023 jamboree is on global sustainability and environmentalism, by working together to reduce climate change.

And the teenagers chosen to represent Kenilworth are: Mia Thomas-Sewell, Swanand Kashyap, Heather Doy, Rohan Rajathurai, Ellie Pawsey, Andrew Digby, Sophie Cousins, James Hurst and Abi Staveley.

An application submitted to the town council on their behalf said: "Attending the World Scout Jamboree in Korea will be a life changing experience. 

"We will see new things, meet new people, grow as a person and develop life skills, understanding and resilience. 

"It is not just about the trip, but the planning and fundraising before, and bringing back new skills and ideas, being motivators and mentors afterwards."