Island Scouts Fundraising For Autumn Expedition to Coburg

Fifty-six Island Scouts, aged 10 to 14, are heading to Coburg, Germany during the October 2026 half term.

They will leave the Island on Saturday 17 October and fly from Heathrow early on Sunday 18 October. They will return from Coburg reaching the Island in the early hours of Sunday 25 October.

Expedition leader Samantha Sharp said:

“We are really pleased with the response from Island Scouts to this expedition. Developing ties with the Island’s twin in Germany is an exciting step for Island Scouting.

"When we completed the reconnaissance trip in October 2025, we found the Scouts and Coburg city officials and organisations to be very welcoming, and I am sure the 56 Island Scouts going on this trip will not only have an amazing time but will learn and develop from being part of this unique opportunity.”

The Isle of Wight has been twinned with Coburg for many years, but this is the first time a County wide Scout expedition has been organised. The Scouts going are from across the Island and come from the following Scout Groups:

· 1st Bembridge, St Helens & Seaview Scout Group (2)

· 1st Brighstone Scout Group (9)

· 1st East Cowes Scout Group (2)

· 1st Godshill & Rookley Scout Group (2)

· 1st Newport Scout Group (1)

· 1st Northwood Scout Group (6)

· 1st Ryde & Binstead Scout Group (6)

· 1st Sandown & Lake Scout Group (4)

· 1st Shanklin Scout Group (4)

· 1st Wootton Scout Group (2)

· 1st Yarmouth Scout Group (1)

· 2nd Cowes Scout Group (2)

· 2nd Ryde Scout Group (1)

· 3rd Ventnor Scout Group (2)

· 5th Ryde Scout Group (5)

· 7th Newport Scout Group (6)

· 8th Newport Scout Group (3)

They all met together for the first time on Sunday 19 April for their first training session at Carisbrooke CE Primary School. In addition to the Scouts, twelve (12) adult volunteers will be giving up a week of their time to support the young people.

The cost of the expedition to each young person is £725 which covers all travel, accommodation, food, and activities.

The young people are fundraising to offset the costs and welcome any support Islanders and Island organisations can provide.

Whilst in Coburg the Scouts will be staying in Callenburg Scout Centre, run by Pfadfinder Forderer Stiftung.

As well as meeting local German Scouts, Island Scouts will get a guided tour of Coburg, visits to the Goldbergsee (lake/nature area), Rosenau Palace (Prince Albert’s birthplace), Funtasy World (an indoor activity zone), the huge Veste Coburg (castle) and the magnificent Ehrenburg Palace (home of the Saxe-Coburg’s). They will also go swimming and have a German Cooking Workshop.

For the first training day on 19 April the contingent had some German tuition, designed a badge, looked at fundraising ideas, and discussed what ‘behavioural rules’ they would set for themselves. Future training will include learning more about Prince Albert, German culture and language, and mass transit movement as a group.

Chair of the Isle of Wight German Twinning Association, Peter Jackson, who helped with German language tuition on 19 April, said:

"The Isle of Wight is very fortunate in our long-standing special friendship with a lively, modern city that has such significance for British and European history, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and our own Osborne House.

"We were very impressed with the enthusiasm and energy of the scouts and the dedication of their leaders.

"We are sure this project will be a valuable experience for these young people and suggests that Island twinning with Coburg will provide continuing potential for the future."