THE last Venture Scout group in Basingstoke will be disbanded tomorrow - in order to keep people within the Scouting movement.

The Saracen Venture Scouts, in existence since the early 1990s and currently made up of 15 teenagers and young men, will officially cease to exist.

The group is splitting into two to fall in line with a national structural organisation of the Scouting movement, designed to retain boys in their middle teens.

Those who are aged between 15-and-a-half and 18 will become Explorer Scouts, a combination of traditional Scouting and Venture Scouting. Those over 18 will become members of the Scout network.

Michael Winkworth, 23, chairman of Saracen Venture Scouts, said: "The structure has been split in this way to try to retain more teenagers as Scouts. There is a big drop-out rate when people are 14 or 15. Explorer Scouts should have more opportunities to do award schemes, adventurous activities, such as canoeing and parascending, and generally have more freedom in what they do."

A handover ceremony is to take place between 7pm and 10pm tomorrow at the Holy Ghost Church, in Burgess Road, Basingstoke. The evening will feature a display marking the history of Saracen Venture Scouts.