A SCOUT leader believes all children regardless of which faith they follow should join a local group to experience things schools cannot teach.

Nisbah Hussain is the leader of the 1Voice scouts in Blackburn and is also the North West regional commissioner for the scouting community.

The mum of three help set up the group during her maternity leave and has been volunteering ever since.

Some of the scouts have also met the Duchess of Cambridge as she visited the UK HQ in London.

Mrs Hussain said: “It’s an international family.

“The Duchess seemed interested, and they got to show her around the whole building, even the mosque.

“We also went to Malaysia for two weeks with the young people and went to the scouting HQ in Kuala Lumpur.

“They met other groups and hung out with them, explored different places and made friends for life.”

1V Scouts have a high number of Muslim children in the group, and Mrs Hussain hopes the growing number continues to rise.

She said: “I wanted to be a scout when I was young but had mosque in the evening.

“This gives young people extra skills they do not get at school because they think on their own two feet, they work with others, and take part in activities they would not do anywhere else.

“They’ve had a sleepover at the National History Museum, learnt how to put up tents and recently the young ones learned how to tie a shoelace, it’s stuff they don’t know.

“It is about being independent, making friends, exploring new ideas and more.”

Many Muslim parents may not think scout groups are for their children, she said.

Bur Mrs Hussain said: “The principles of the groups fit in well with Muslims because you learn to be good people in the community.

“A third of scouts across the world are Muslim, so this proves anyone can do it.”

The group meet on weekends so Muslim children can easily go along.

Mrs Hussain said: “It also helps bring out confidence in the young people, we had a shy six-year-old who would barely talk, but after six months she performed a play in front of a lot of people.”

The UK’s biggest scout group HQ in London, Gilwell Park has even opened a mosque and the Duchess of Cambridge went to see the HQ on March 28.

Mrs Hussain and her group greeted the Duchess along with other groups.

The mum used to be a trainee solicitor in Blackburn, but after having children she decided to volunteer and now leads the group.

To find out more, visit onevoicenetwork.org.uk/projects-2/1v-scouts/