FIVE scout leaders from Oxfordshire will be travelling to America next summer to help deliver the biggest event in the world scouting calendar.

Shaun Kendall, Keith Shackleton, Linda Phillips, James Austin and Christopher Rogers all live locally and have been selected as part of the team to host the 2019 World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.

The five experienced leaders will work with scouts from nearly every country in the world to share and teach a range of life skills at the event which is only held ever four years.

Mr Kendall, who acts as a deputy county commissioner at Oxfordshire Scouting, said: “I am very much looking forward to going to the World Scout Jamboree to help out young people from across the world.

“The last one I went to was 25 years ago in Holland. I enjoy the buzz of these huge events and meeting up with old friends.”

Ms Phillips, a section leader at the 43rd Oxford Scouts group, added: “I am very much looking forward to going to help out young people, meeting old friends and making new friends from across the world at the World Scout Jamboree.”

While Mr Rogers, a leader at the 28th Oxford group, and Mr Austin and Mr Shackleton who lead groups outside of the area, are all looking forward to what will be their first World Scout Jamboree.

Mr Shackleton said: "I’ve never been at a Jamboree before, but I’ve been on international expeditions.

"I’ve been involved in scouting my whole life and I’ve always wanted to go to one, and America was too good to turn down.

"I’m looking forward to the whole experience and being part of something so big, everyone is together creating a common message.

"I want to go for myself but it’s also so nice to see all the younger people sharing a great experience.”

The World Scout Jamboree brings together 45,000 scouts from across the world to experience different international cultures and celebrate the scouting principle - ‘to create a better world’.

The Oxford quintet were selected from local leaders by UK Scouting and will join a cohort of other British scout leaders to travel to the jamboree.

The team will help deliver all aspects of the event from delivering world leading activities, inspiring staged events through to mass catering.

The 24th World Scout Jamboree will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico Scouting Associations, and will take place between July and August 2019.

They aim to focus on the cultures of the ‘New World’.

The event will run from July 22 to August 2, 2019.

The last jamboree was held at Kirara Beach in Japan in July 2015 attracting more than 33,000 people.