Keith Armour

Keith is the Area Scout Network Commisioner for Midlothian, a member of the Scottish Scout Fellowship and a staff member at Loncraigs Scout Watersport Activity Centre.

 

 

In 2004 a good friend of mine e-mailed me the advert for Everest suggesting that I should apply for it as I was usually up for doing daft challenges at Scouting events. When I replied to the advert I was still very unsure what would be involved and whether it was for me. 

 

At this point I had climbed my fair share of Scottish mountains in Summer and Winter conditions but had only experienced altitude once during a week long holiday climbing and walking at Kandersteg in Switzerland.

 

I was invited to attended an information weekend at Meggernie scout centre in the September. On this weekend we were treated to a slide show of the previous expeditions and informed what the proposed expedtion for 2007 was and what would be expected of us as participants. After the weekend I was definately very interested but most of the information I had been given seemed to create more questions for me due to my lack of experience in doing serious high altitude mountaineering.

After lots of deliberation I decided that this would probably be the only chance I will ever get to stand on top of the world and what better way is there for me to celebrate the centenary of scouting than by being a part of this project.

 

The project epitomises to me what scouting is about. Helping individuals to achieve their dreams whilst giving back to communities where scouting is taking place. From this I will gain many new skills, experiences and frienships and will be able to pass these on to younger scouts to inspire them that scouting really can change their life and help them achieve their their own Everest.  

 

I am now keeping fit for this trip by getting in the mountains as often as possible and by putting in the miles running around Edinburgh and the Pentland hills. I can also be found indoor climbing at Ratho Adventure centre most weeks. In January 2006 I headed to Aconcagua in Argentina to gain big mountain and altitude experience.

 

 

My "Scouting Life" began in 1982 in the 11th Midlothian Scout Group as a Cub. As I got older I progressed through the group into the scouts and onto Venture Scouts where I gained my Queen Scout award. The highlight of this award was completing my expedition in the Torridon area. I also represented the Group at the 17th World Jamboree in Korea in 1991.

 

I have held several warranted possitions in the past 10 years since becoming too old to be a Venture Scout.  I again started with the 11th Midlothian in Penicuik as an Assistant Scout Leader and then as an Assistant Venture Scout Leader until they changed the youth structure. At this point I became the Area Explorer Scout Commisioner for Midlothian, recently changing to my current role of Area Scout Network Commsioner.

 

I currently live in Edinburgh and juggle my time between working as a manager for B&Q, my many guises within Scouting and physical training for the expedition.