A SCOUT hut on the edge of Dorchester is a hive of activity in the run-up to Christmas.

Not, as you may think, with lads tying knots and singing around campfires and other scouting activities.

It is in fact with a merry band of volunteers sorting through thousands of Christmas cards to be delivered in and around Dorchester in time for December 25 as part of Scout Post.

Now in its 19th year, Dorchester Scout Post has gone from strength to strength and is proving as popular as ever.

Just two days into this year's charity fundraiser, more than 6,000 cards have already been sorted and delivered to homes in the county town and surrounding villages, and co-ordinators believe they are well on the way to breaking the 40,000-card mark.

It is a far cry from the first Scout Post 19 years ago.

John Scutt, secretary of the Dorchester Scout Fellowship and Scout Post co-ordinator, said: "We started 19 years ago as an experiment. I got the committee to agree that we do this and I think they thought I was a bit mad at the time, but what had they got to lose except say yes - get on with it.

"I thought that if we had 3,000 cards that year it was well worth doing in the future.

"That first year we had 7,000 cards, so we were well away and we haven't looked back since.

"So far this year we have dealt with 6,700 cards. Last year we did 40,000 in all and we hope to meet the record."

Mr Scutt said that Scout Post would not be possible without the help of a band of volunteers who collect post from boxes scattered across Dorchester and surrounding villages, and sort it in the scout hut in Lubbecke Way before they are delivered by another band of helpers.

"All together in the town, forgetting the villages, we have 40 people including the sorters and people delivering around the town - we couldn't do it without their help."

And he said that the whole fund- raiser would fall apart if it weren't for the people who post their Christmas mail.

People are encouraged to donate a minimum of 10p per card posted.

"We are very grateful to all the people who support the Scout Post because it wouldn't be possible without them.

"I would like to thank all the residents for entrusting us with their cards - we couldn't do this without their support.

"Scout Post is supporting scouting in the Dorchester District, which includes the town and most of the villages around.

"Last year we collected £5,000; half of that goes to scout funding locally, helping the 10 groups we have in the district," said Mr Scutt.

The rest goes to other good causes and all of the appeal's helpers are invited to choose an organisation they would like to support.

Scout Post continues until December 19 and collection boxes in Dorchester can be found at the Tourist Information office in Antelope Walk; Oxfam; Robert Dyas in South Street and Nicoll World Travel in High East Street, and around the town as well as in some villages.

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