'NINJA Communities' and 'Becoming David Attenborough' are among the intriguing activities on offer to young people in South Ayrshire as they're given the chance to work towards a Biosphere Badge.

Scouts and Guides across the area will now be able to work towards the badge - which has been launched in a partnership with the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.

The Biosphere team says it's an opportunity for Guide and Scout leaders to view south-west Scotland through a fresh lens - and for young adventurers to explore, learn, and develop new skills.

To create the badge, the GSA Biosphere worked in partnership with South West Scotland Scouts, Girlguiding Dumfries & Galloway, and Girlguiding Ayrshire South.

Leaders select six activities from the accompanying booklet which Scouts and Guides must complete to earn their badge.

Activities have been carefully designed to provide something for all ages, from Squirrels and Rainbows to Rangers and Explorers.

There are options for indoors as well as outside, and several with intriguing titles like ‘Become David Attenborough’, and ‘Ninja Communities’.

All the activities are aimed at increasing understanding of local heritage and the special environments for which the region is recognised worldwide.

Jenna Cains, GSAB’s community and education lead officer, said: “It’s a privilege to have helped create a Biosphere badge for local Scouts and Guides.

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"The Scouting and Guiding movement is all about empowerment: giving young people room to grow, to try new things, and to make a positive difference in the world.

"It connects on many levels with the UNESCO Biosphere ethos and what we as an organisation are trying to achieve.

"The launch of the badge is just the beginning of our relationship with the southwest’s Scouting and Guiding groups and we look forward to future opportunities for supporting delivery of their amazing programme.”

The Biosphere badge for Scouts and Girl Guides is available now and the Leader’s Booklet is available free upon request.

To request a copy of the booklet, email jenna@gsabiosphere.org.uk.

More information about the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere is available at www.gsabiosphere.org.uk.