Hello and welcome to the website all about Keighley's largest Explorer Belt expedition!

This website will tell you all about who's involved, what we plan to do, and our progress so far. Also, those involved will be able to download all the documents they need; such as posters and letters.

Because of the nature of this expedition there is lots of information to keep you informed with! If you need to contact us about any of the information then please don't hesitate to do so!

Contact either Joe Gallucci or Becka Olsson:

joe@expeditions.keighleyscouts.org.uk becka@expeditions.keighleyscouts.org.uk

I will now tell you all about the ideas behind our expedition. If you want to find out we are progressing then check out the news page! Don't forget to read through the calendar so you are all up-to-date with events that you can come and support us on!

The Explorer Belt is one of the UK Scout Movements most highly coveted awards. Although it may lack in some of the prestige of the Queen's Scout Award, far fewer Scouts achieve this honour. The Explorer Belt is an opportunity available to both the Explorer Scout and Scout Network sections; for members who are aged between 16 and 25. In order to achieve this award, teams must organise and take part in an international expedition abroad. Whilst in the foreign country the participants undergo a series of different challenges; one major challenge based on the cultural differences between the home country and the country being visited; and ten minor challenges, half of which are chosen and imposed by other members of the home group. All of these challenges allow participants to delve deep into the study of a foreign culture, whilst developing some undeniably significant characteristics and experiences. Another aspect of the Explorer Belt criteria is to meet with members of the global Scout movement. This enables the participants to meet with young people who share the same principle values and interests as themselves, as well as seeing how Scouting functions in other countries.

Keighley District has never seen such a large group of members working together to achieve their Explorer Belts; the ten participants are responsible for the execution of the entire expedition. As a group we have decided to travel across Europe in the summer of 2009. As the expedition is required to last at least 10 days, we have decided to visit more than one country. We will begin our journey by flying to Geneva airport, and travelling to the International Scout Centre at Kandersteg via Bern . Once at Kandersteg we will have the opportunity to take part in a range of adventurous activities, from glacier walking; to trekking through the Swiss Alps; to sampling famous Swiss cheese and chocolate. Whilst taking part in the plethora of activities on offer, we will have the chance to gain several of the centre's own awards for achievement.

After a week in the Swiss Alps we will travel into northern Italy to Florence . Our stay in Italy will present the opportunity to work more closely with a single group of foreign scouts from the Italian Movement, Associazione Guide E Scouts Cottolici Italiani (AGESCI) . Our major project will be focussed around creating a twinning with the Italian Scouts that we meet, hopefully enabling an exchange program between the two areas. We anticipate that the Scouts we will befriend would then be able to visit Keighley the following year!

Thanks for your support and we hope to see you at future events!

Yours in Scouting

Joseph Gallucci	Rebecca Olsson
Expedition Leaders