EIGHTEEN-year-old Kerry Edwards, from Haslemere, has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, representing the UK at the European Scouting event, Roverway 2018, in the Netherlands.

The gathering of Scouts and Guides aged 16 to 22 from across Europe is due to be held there between July 21 and August 2.

Kerry said: “I can’t wait to go to the Roverway event and am excited to take on new challenges and improve my leadership skills.

“This will be my first international trip away with the Scouts so I’m looking forward to going away with my friends, meeting lots of new people from across the world and experiences different cultures.”

The UK Scout contingent to Roverway 2018 will be made up of more than 300 participants, who will join more than 3,000 other young people from almost all European nations, as well as some from other continents, to embark on nine days of adventure, fun and learning skills for life.

All the UK Scouts taking part in Roverway will gather in Amsterdam to see the sights on one of Europe’s major cities as well as get an insight into Dutch culture and way of life.

The event will then move to The Hague for a beachside opening ceremony, after which UK participants will split up into small multinational teams to undertake a journey around Holland, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg.

They will camp in an unique location, undertake community work in the towns and villages through which they are travelling and ride a classic Dutch tandem for part of the journey.

All 3,000 participants will then get together at Scoutinglandgoed Zeewolde, built on reclaimed Polerland to the east of Amsterdam to try a range of water activities and attend training and development sessions to help improve their skills.

Bear Grylls has offered his support, saying: “I’d just like to say a massive good luck to our brilliant UK contingent.

“They are heading off on the trip of a lifetime. The diversity of people they will meet will remind us all about what the world has to offer.

“They will experience new cultures and make many new friends, becoming ever more tolerant and caring about others through this experience.”