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The South African
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
Little Rangers Program ignites passion for Wildlife
The Lion & Safari Park is turning young visitors into wildlife champions with its exciting Little Rangers Adventure Club. This hands-on programme, designed for children aged 5 to 12, offers a thrilling mix of adventure, education, and conservation. It's quickly becoming a hit among South African families eager to swap screen time for real safari experiences. Just 13 kilometres from Lanseria Airport, the Lion & Safari Park invites children to step into the shoes of real rangers, according to IOL. Kids get to track animals, feed giraffes, attend lion talks, and take part in conservation activities—all in a safe and engaging setting. It's a chance to learn about South Africa's incredible wildlife up close. 'At Lion & Safari Park, we believe that a love for wildlife starts young,' says Shandor Larenty, Group Wildlife and Conservation Manager. 'We've seen how the Little Rangers programme sparks curiosity and passion in children. It's our way of nurturing the next generation of conservationists through unforgettable, hands-on experiences.' The programme runs every weekend throughout the year, making it easy for families to enjoy the great outdoors together. Each session lasts 90 minutes, from 9:00 to 10:30 am, and costs R130. To join, parents pay a one-time sign-up fee of R300, which includes a safari vest, a field guide, and the first Cub Scout badge. Children earn badges by completing fun, conservation-themed activities. These include art in the park, paw and spoor tracking, and age-appropriate bush survival skills. Each badge brings them closer to becoming a Little Game Ranger, the highest tier in the programme. Along the way, kids move through levels from Cub Scout to Safari Star, Wildlife Warrior, and finally Little Game Ranger. Each level unlocks exclusive discounts and benefits. The ultimate prize? A free birthday party at the park, complete with venue and setup, for those who reach the Little Game Ranger level. This unique reward motivates kids to learn and engage with nature actively. 'The badges and tiers give children a sense of achievement,' Larenty explains. 'They build knowledge, confidence, and excitement about wildlife and conservation. It's inspiring to see young faces light up when they earn a new badge.' The Little Rangers Adventure Club offers South African families a wonderful way to connect with nature and instil a lifelong respect for wildlife. It's a perfect blend of fun and learning, encouraging children to become true ambassadors for the environment. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Discover the Little Rangers Adventure Club at Lion & Safari Park
Located just 13 km from Lanseria Airport, the Lion & Safari Park gives children the rare opportunity to walk in the footsteps of real rangers: exploring animal tracking, feeding giraffes, attending lion talks, and completing conservation-themed activities in a safe and engaging environment. Image: Supplied Adventure, education, and conservation come together in an unforgettable experience for children at the Lion & Safari Park, thanks to the park's much-loved Little Rangers Adventure Club. This exciting program, designed for children aged 5 to 12, has quickly gained popularity among families seeking to nurture a deeper connection to nature and wildlife through fun, hands-on learning, effectively swapping screen time for safari time. Located just 13 km from Lanseria Airport, the Lion & Safari Park offers children the rare chance to walk in the footsteps of real rangers. Activities include exploring animal tracking, feeding giraffes, attending interactive lion talks, and completing conservation-themed activities—all within a safe and engaging environment. 'At Lion & Safari Park, we believe that fostering a love for wildlife starts at a young age,' remarked Shandor Larenty, the Group Wildlife and Conservation Manager at the park. 'We've seen just how much this program sparks curiosity and passion in the children who take part in it. The Little Rangers program is our way of nurturing the next generation of conservationists by providing them with unforgettable, hands-on experiences that connect them to nature.' Children are actively encouraged to engage in conservation activities that not only support their natural curiosity but also promote the safety and care of the wild at large. With engaging weekend sessions such as art in the park, paw and spoor tracking, and safe, age-appropriate bush survival skills, every moment is both educational and thrilling. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ As part of the adventure, children earn badges for each activity completed, requiring them to collect three badges to progress to the next tier. These tiers range from Cub Scout to Safari Star, and Wildlife Warrior, ultimately culminating in the coveted title of Little Game Ranger. Each tier offers exclusive discounts and benefits, with the ultimate reward being a free birthday party (venue and setup included) when graduating as a Little Game Ranger (Level 4). This structure encourages children to build knowledge, confidence, and excitement as they engage with the programme. From tracking paw prints to learning about endangered species, each badge earned brings kids closer to becoming true wildlife ambassadors. The program runs on weekends throughout the year, showcasing a unique way for families to enjoy the outdoors while inspiring young conservationists. Sign-up costs R300, which includes a safari vest, a field guide, and the first Cub Scout badge, while individual activity sessions are priced at R130. Sessions take place every Saturday and Sunday from 09:00 to 10:30. To learn more about the Little Rangers Adventure Club or to sign up your child, visit
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Wakefield boy receives top Scout award for cancer bravery
The family of a nine-year-old boy who is being treated for brain cancer have said that being a Cub Scout allows him to be "normal again".Harry, from Wakefield, has medulloblastoma and has undergone chemotherapy and Scout Association has awarded him the Cornwell Badge in recognition of his "extraordinary strength, resilience and determination".Harry will now get to meet a member of the Royal Family - an experience he said he was "really excited" about. Harry returned to his Cub Scout pack, 25th Wakefield (St John's), last summer after nine months of hospital treatment."I didn't know as many people as I knew [before surgery]," he said."It was tough but I met loads of new people and I didn't give up on what we were learning about." Harry's parents, Owain and Lisa Evans, are both medics - his father is a children's orthopaedic surgeon and his mother is a neonatal Evans said her son had to "relearn everything" after his treatment."To begin with, he was quite nervous, but he's been taken such good care of that now he just loves Cubs," she Evans added: "He's been on some pretty good adventures that we didn't think he'd be able to do 18 months ago." Charlie Boyes, Harry's Cub leader, said: "He is the most resilient kid I've ever met."She said leaders had worked hard to ensure Harry could take part in activities and camps, as he "doesn't want to be any different to his peers".The Scout group's lead volunteer, Laura Stephenson, said she cried when their award nomination was approved."I actually put him in for a different award, but the panel came to the unanimous conclusion that the Cornwell Badge was better," she said. Harry also received a video message from the Chief Scout, television presenter and polar explorer Dwayne Fields, who said his strength and courage were "an inspiration"."Your positivity, your resilience and that great Scouting spirit you've got has inspired everyone around you," he family will be guests at the Scout Association's achievement event at Windsor Castle in April. The Cornwell Badge The Cornwell Badge was inspired by the actions of a Scout in 1916 and is still awarded today for courage and devotion to Cornwell was a Scout in an east London troop, which was dissolved when World War One began and its leaders joined the armed forces. Jack had left school and was working as a delivery the age of 15 Jack was accepted into the Royal Navy. He ended up serving in the crucial Battle of Jutland aboard HMS role was to set the sights of the gun he manned so it could be fired accurately. After several direct hits, Jack was one of the few men left standing to operate the weapon. He was seriously injured but remained alone at his post awaiting died of his wounds at a hospital in Grimsby and his body was returned to London for burial. His mother, Lily, did not realise that the Navy would have paid for his funeral, and he was instead interred in a shared bravery captured the public imagination, and he had been mentioned in reports of the battle. He was seen as an ordinary boy who had become a national hero, and he was later reburied with full military honours. Hundreds of Scouts lined the route for the was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry, which his mother received from King George Scouts set up a memorial fund named after Jack and the Cornwell Badge was launched later in first Scout to receive it was Arthur Shepherd, who was 15 and part of a troop in Middlesbrough. He on a Coastguard patrol in Whitby when the hospital ship Rohilla sank nearby. The Scouts helped to rescue victims and recover had to walk across narrow cliff ledges to deliver messages in a gale while being lashed by waves. The rules have changed over time and now all 6-25-year-olds who are members of any Scout section are eligible. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Scouting means family:' Cub Scout feeding others by founding nonprofit
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — This year's Great Smoky Mountain Council Cub Scout of the Year is an active scout who sells popcorn, enjoys pinewood derby cars, going camping and being with his friends, but most importantly, is devoted to service. Acen Kala is a master cookie maker. He makes pans of his famous brownies made with the help of his mother Nisha. She's encouraged her 10 year old son to learn early about serving others. West wrestler Ahmed Shahin hits the ground running after move from Egypt He's just a 5th grader, yet he's demonstrated a strong sense of compassion and leadership. Acen founded his own non-profit, Mission ACE, about 3 years ago. It's purpose is to offer comfort and nourishment to those facing hard times. 'So, I help, I help the homeless a lot, that need food and that need clothing The homeless are unfortunate, so we need to help them more. We need to get them to another level that is good,' Acen Kala said. Acen has partnered with 'The Love Kitchen' providing food, and Angelic Ministries and the YWCA filling and distributing mission bags. Monthly, he takes goodies to Transformation Church's food pantry. Acen enjoys regular kids stuff too. He likes to go fishing. Another favorite, being outdoors with his friends. Acen has been a Cub Scout since the first grade. 'Scouting means family. Scouting is a community, it's a really close community. Through scouting we have build good friends who we see as family. For me as a parent it was important that he saw the homeless and what they were going through to help build that empathy. It's important in terms of growth. It has really shaped and formed Acen and his character,' Nisha Kala said. He's an academic achiever at Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge. 'The real focus is fellowship': Sea Scout of the Year recognized for leadership, community service Acen and his mom received the Dove Award from ARC for their contributions to those with developmental disabilities. His goal in life is to shoot for the stars. 'I want to get to space and try to see the moon and all kinds of things in space,' Acen Kala said. Acen is one of the three scouts being honored at the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts' Distinguished Citizens Dinner. The council is also honoring 110 'iconic leaders' of the council as it celebrates its 110th year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Yahoo
Paedophile Scout leader was ‘hiding in plain sight', court told
A paedophile Scout leader hid in 'plain sight' and sexually abused 19 boys over a 30-year period, a court has heard. Ian Silvester befriended young victims and their families through his jobs as a diving instructor, St John Ambulance trainer, first-aid trainer and babysitter between 1986 and 2013. The 60-year-old, from Brighton, manipulated the children under the guise of playing an innocent game or taking part in an educational activity for his own sexual gratification, prosecutors said. He was jailed for 16 years on Friday, with an additional six years on extended licence, after a trial at Lewes Crown Court. Judge Christine Laing KC told Silvester: 'You are the very definition of a paedophile hiding in plain sight.' The judge said the defendant had given his victims a 'lifetime of shame and regret', telling the court the abuse happened so 'openly and plainly and so often in front of others'. She added: 'The fact is, you were in a position of trust with each boy. Either as their babysitter, their Cub Scout master, their diving coach, a provider of first-aid training… your behaviour was a gross abuse of that trust.' Silvester was found guilty of 44 counts of indecent assault on a male, 25 counts of sexual activity with a child, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13 and two counts of making indecent photos of children. After he was arrested, indecent images of children and photos and videos of his victims being assaulted by Silvester were found on his devices seized by police from his home. The judge made an order for the forfeiture and destruction of the material. Emma Lile, specialist prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Ian Silvester's crimes are particularly disturbing given the various roles he held over many years where he was entrusted with the responsibility of caring for and safeguarding children. 'He abused these positions in the worst possible way and took advantage of young boys. Silvester tried to claim that what he was doing was innocent, denying that his behaviour was sexually motivated.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
