TWO 12-year-old members of the 1st South Zeal Scout Group have gained their Chief Scout Gold Award — the highest award a scout can achieve.

The award was initiated in 2002, replacing the Chief Scout Challenge Badge and Benjamin and Samuel are the first scouts in South Zeal to win it.

Over the last two years, they have been working to gain eight multi-staged challenge badges, including Promise Challenge, Community Challenge, Fitness Challenge, Creative Challenge, Global Challenge, Outdoor Challenge, plus two of the following, Adventure Challenge, Expedition Challenge and Outdoor Plus Challenge.

The scouts organised their own camp and entertainment, with eight other scouts in the final section of the last badge.

The boys' were supported by scout leaders, Nicki and Stuart Glanville, who gave their time to the scouts to help them achieve their goal.

Support also came from cub leaders Tina Adams and Marc Cotton, who continue to inspire parents to encourage their young ones to enter scouting at an early age.