Jimmy Mizen Foundation provides Citroen minibuses for Scouts

Two Citroen Relay minibuses will make a lasting tribute to a young man from south-east London who tragically died in an assault in May last year. Two Ready to Run Relay L3H2 17 seat, wheelchair accessible minibuses have been donated to the local 21st Lewisham North and Sidcup District Scout Groups by the Jimmy Mizen Foundation to ensure that the memory of 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen lives on.

There are strong links between the Jimmy Mizen Foundation and the Scouts in south-east London. Jimmy himself was a Beaver and Cub Scout and the Foundation has very generously donated funds to the local Scout groups to replace their worn-out vehicles. The two Relay minibuses were immediately dubbed 'Jimmybuses' and were supplied by local Citroen dealer Bellamys (London) Ltd. Bellamys, Citroen, vehicle delivery specialists Gefco and converter Advanced Vehicle Builders have all supported the Foundation in the supply of these vehicles.

The Jimmybus fund snowballed from an initial £100 donation raised by a friend and now stands at around £50,000 thanks to local people’s generosity and thousands of donations from around the country and abroad.

The two new Jimmybuses will help the Beavers, Cubs, Scouts & Guides in both districts to go even further afield in search of adventure.

Minibuses are a vital part of the Scouts' bid to offer exciting and meaningful activities to youngsters, especially in inner cities. “It will help us offer more activities to the younger Scouts, which in turn means that they are more likely to stay involved as they get older,” explained the Scouts' media and public relations officer, Chris Foster.

At the handover ceremony, which was presented by TV comedian Harry Hill, Barry Mizen, Jimmy's father said: “We wanted something good to come out of something tragic and this is something that will benefit so many young people.”