Bishop Own and 41st Wrexham Scouts have switched their uniforms and woggles for a tuxedo and sequins for their Bond Night in aid of Wales Air Ambulance.
The group are used to taking on challenges and set their sights on raising as much as they could playing casino games and drinking mocktails at their scout hall.
Lead volunteer David ‘Skip’ Drew said: “There were spies, villains, Bond girls, everyone pulled out the stops and put on their fanciest clothing for a great cause.
“It’s a chance for us all to come together at the end of the year, to celebrate and raise funds for a cause close to our heart.
“Each year we ask our members who they would like the money to go to and they nominated the lifesaving service.”
The Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third sector and public sector partnership. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £11.2 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency critical care.
Skip works for a telecommunications company in Wrexham and says, ‘the air ambulance often flies overhead.’
He continued: “You know whoever they are attending is having the worst day of their life.
“So, the fact we can use a fun evening, to help raise money for this lifesaving service, means a lot to our members and volunteers.”
He said: “For the last ten years we have hosted a Bond Night, turning our scout hall into Casino Royale – with a variety of Charities benefiting from this.
“It teaches young people to appreciate the value of money. They pay £5 on the door and get tokens to use throughout the night to use at the baccarat table or to buy drinks.
“Everyone has a great night, we give out awards and joke prizes, but no one leaves empty handed they get a gift to show our appreciation for their continued support.”
The scout group was established in 1948 and has around eighty members aged between 4 to 18. It has just introduced the squirrels’ section for children age between 4 to 6.
Skip said: “The scouts’ provides an outlet for young people to be able to express themselves, learn new skills and hopefully shape them into young people with a clear direction.
“We guide and mentor, coach and encourage guidance, and hopefully pass on what we know to the next generation.
“Our schedule is quite varied from physical activities outdoors to educational things like, how to stay safe and digital awareness. We also provide mental health and wellbeing support.”
Scouting is Skip’s blood, both his mum and dad were leaders, and he has taken on roles with troops in Germany when he served with the Royal Engineers and now in North Wales, for 15 years. He’s also a Bush Scout.
He said: “Young people love being active! So, I encourage them to get out of their comfort zone and try new activities from archery and rafting to doing stuff with knives, tarps and outdoor cooking. We camp every month of the year if we can!”
Bishop Own and 41st Wrexham Scouts raised two hundred pounds for the Wales Air Ambulance.
Debra Sima, Wales Air Ambulance’s Regional Fundraising Manager for North East Wales said: “M would be very proud! Bishop Own and 41st Wrexham Scouts achieved their 007 fundraising mission and they looked fantastic too!
“We are so grateful to the members for choosing to support our lifesaving service.
“Events like this make such a difference to our Charity and help towards the running costs to keep helicopters in the sky and rapid response vehicles on the road.
“Every pound raised during their Bond Night will go towards helping save lives!”
