Scouts Scotland appoints Mollie Hughes as first female president

Mollie Hughes reached the South Pole in January 2020 after 650 hours of skiing

Scouts Scotland has appointed an Everest and South Pole adventurer as its first woman president.

Mollie Hughes takes over the voluntary role from Chris Tiso, chief executive of the Tiso Group outdoor shops.

The 30-year-old, who lives in Edinburgh, became the youngest woman to ski solo from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole earlier this year.

She said her message to Scouts was to use the outdoors to help boost their mental health during the pandemic.

"Getting outside is something that we need for our physical health but I think more importantly, especially at the moment, for our mental health," she told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland.

"You don't have to climb massive mountains to get that mental health benefit. It's all about spending a little bit of time in nature and taking a relaxed approach in getting out into the ocean or into the forest and just having that time away from the stresses of everyday life."

• In Pictures: Mollie Hughes reaches South Pole

Ms Hughes also became the youngest woman to climb Mount Everest from the south and north sides in 2017.

She reached the South Pole in January 2020 after eight weeks and 650 hours of skiing alone in whiteouts, storm-force winds and temperatures as low as -45C.

She told BBC Scotland it was a "total honour" to be appointed as president of Scouts Scotland, which she said was a role she intended to take on with "full force".

"Scouts is such an incredible organisation and it gives people those skills that they need to succeed later on in life.

"And that's skills not only in outdoor activities, but also they do things from coding to drama, to supporting young people in their local communities," the adventurer said.

Scouts have been meeting online during the pandemic

Scouting has continued throughout the pandemic by moving meetings online, though some face-to-face meetings are now taking place where local protection levels allow.

Andrew Sharkey, the chief commissioner of Scouts Scotland, said: "We are delighted to have Mollie joining Scouts Scotland as president.

"Through her many adventures and expeditions Mollie has shown her incredible ability, determination and resilience. I have no doubt she will inspire and enthuse our young people and volunteers."