Tales of a thrilling journey to Antarctica enthralled young children at Newington Community Primary in Ramsgate.
As part of their Geography topic the Year 3 group welcomed local Kent Scout Darcey Holmes who took part in the ReQuest expedition to the polar region in 2021.
Accompanied by her cuddly mascot Bear, Darcey chatted with pupils and soon had them spellbound as she recounted her travels on board the Bark Europa ship and about the wildlife she encountered along the way.
She then invited the children to decorate a small square to be part of her community quilt. The children had to draw what they thought of when they heard the word ‘Antarctica’.
Head Teacher Hannah Tudor said: “This was an excellent way of bringing the real world into the classroom for a Geography topic.
“The children were hooked on Darcey’s every word as she chatted with them about her exciting expedition adventures. It has certainly inspired them – and there were some lovely creative pieces of artwork produced for the quilt.”
Darcey, from the 1st St Lawrence troop, was also one of the national Scout representatives selected to support the coronation of King Charles in 2023 when she travelled with colleagues from around the country and watched the coronation procession from their vantage point in St James’ Park in London.
Fact File: The ReQuest2021 expedition was a Scouting project that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Shackleton-Rowett expedition by undertaking a research-focused voyage to Antarctica.
A ten-person team of Scouts and leaders sailed on the tall ship Bark Europa in late 2021 and early 2022, conducting research on topics like climate change, energy, exploration, and the environment.
The mission aimed to promote peace, environmental awareness, and the preservation of heritage, culminating in the presentation of project findings through various formats.
