EAST Lancashire Scout leaders have celebrated the highest increase in members for 11 years.

Speaking after the regional AGM, County Commissioner Glen Fendall revealed they had seen a 2.4% rise in members in the past year.

He said this was due to a dedicated drive to increase the number of adult volunteers in the same period, whose numbers rose by 7.9%.

Currently, there are 74 Beavers, Cubs and Scouting groups across East Lancashire, with 25 in Blackburn and Darwen, and 17 in Burnley. However, there is currently a waiting list of 30,000 boys waiting to get into a group nationally.

Mr Fendall, 52, who attended Cubs, but was never a Scout himself, rejoined the organisation as a Cub Scout instructor at 16.

He was one of the pioneers of Clitheroe’s first multi-cultural Scout group, which formed in 2004.

He said: “We have fortunately been really successful in getting the message out there that Scouting is not just for young people.

“We hope that the increase in volunteers will allow us to expand even more in the next year, and have predicted this will amount to another 5% rise in members.

“We also hope that we will be able to attract even more members by continuing to diversify Scouting, so it appeals to more people in the area, regardless of what background they come from.

“Scouting should be accessible to as many people as possible, without compromising on the fundamental Scouting principles.”