During the difficult period of the coronavirus crisis, Penarth's Scouting groups have been unable to meet face-to-face but they have adapted to the times and have been keeping busy and connected virtually.

The Penarth and District Scout Association has been learning to adapt during these difficult times by encouraging their members to take part in a variety of online activities including virtual sleepovers, completing their badges from home and Zoom quizzes.

Before the pandemic hit the local Scouting groups were receiving funding from the Co-op as part of their local causes scheme.

The group provides 470 young people, aged 6 – 25 with a fun, exciting and challenging programme of activities to encourage their full potential as individuals and as members of their local, national and international communities. It will help them develop skills for life.

We spoke to Dawn Power, an Executive Committee Member, and Carl Rogers, the District Commissioner, about what the Scouts have been up to during lockdown and how the Co-op funding has helped them over the past year.

They said: "We applied to the Co-op community fund in 2018 but were unsuccessful. When we were notified about the next round, we applied and were lucky enough to be chosen.

"The aim was to spend the money improving and expanding our existing water equipment. We already have two bell boats and the money was being used towards new buoyancy aids and paddles plus facilities allowing other activities such as raft building to take place, all of which are incredibly popular in the spring and summer terms.

''In 2019, the bell boats were used on average 3 times a week over about 5 months, giving around 900 young people the experience locally."

So far, they have received £254.61 in funding based on the donations from the local community and their spending in the Co-op.

Their face to face activities have been put on hold recently due to the coronavirus pandemic but that has not held them back from continuing with their work.

''It is run entirely by adult volunteers. Normally, evenings and weekends in the summer would involve camping, fire building, archery, water sports, district badge days, orienteering, night hikes and more but at the moment it consists of zoom quizzes, scavenger hunts, badge work from home and of course the Hike to the Moon as part of the BBC's Big Night In.

''The funding from the Co-op will go to ensuring that all the young people who are currently at home will still have a chance to have a enjoy as many fun, challenging and skill-building activities as possible in the changed environment. We are extremely grateful to every resident of Penarth who has chosen us as their Co-Op charity.''

For more information on the Penarth and District Scout Association click here.