National Lottery millionaires welcome Sea Scouts to their private woodland
Ted and Marilyn Newton originally bought the woodland in east Kent to walk their dog but have since opened it up to the local community.
A couple who won a £7.9 million Lotto jackpot have bought a 15.5-acre woodland which they now share with local Sea Scouts to provide them with a space for outdoor adventures.
Ted Newton, 84, and his 80-year-old wife Marilyn originally bought the woodland in east Kent to walk their dog, Poppy, but have since opened it up to the local community, including a school and creche as well as the scouting group from one of the most deprived parts of the county.
The couple are now set to host their 31st event for the Sea Scouts on their land.
“Our son leads the Sea Scout group, which is based in an area of Dartford with high levels of deprivation.
“With money tight for so many families it can often be hard for the Sea Scouts to fund camping trips away, meaning the children sometimes miss out on gaining essential skills, unique team-building opportunities and, importantly, a chance to engage with nature.
“When Steve asked if the Sea Scouts could come and hold a one-off camp, we were only too happy to say yes, and now, almost 10 years on, we’re delighted to regularly host all sorts of different scout camps and are readying ourselves for the 2025 schedule.”
“Being able to return time after time and to take part in lots of different activities, from Duke of Edinburgh hikes to visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial, is a fantastic opportunity.
“Older teenagers from our group regularly camp in the woods, gaining essential time in the great outdoors, and developing skills, from learning to build a fire and cook over the coals to clearing a campground of undergrowth and using axes or saws effectively.
“Everything we do here is to help these young people have fun, without the aid of a screen or technology, encouraging them to work together as a team and to engage with the natural world.”
“When the scouts are here you can hear the laughter ringing through the trees – it seems to get louder over the course of the camp as they gain in confidence.
“We also invite the local school down, the village creche visit, and people walk their dogs here. We love nothing more than seeing the woods come alive.”
