CHRIS Tarrant and The Scout Association have joined forces to encourage millions of ex-Scouts to help raise thousands of pounds towards Red Nose Day 2003 by joining the new website www.scoutsreunited.co.uk

ScoutsReunited is being officially launched this week by the UK's largest youth movement to help millions of former Scouts keep in contact with each other and help raise money for charity. The website already has over 10,000 members and everyone who signs up for full membership can choose to make a donation.

Chris, who was a Scout many years ago, said: "If just 10% of the UK's 10 million former Scouts signed up to ScoutsReunited this week, we could raise 2 million for good causes."

Former Scouts who have signed up to ScoutsReunited include Derek Reynolds (79), Stuart Thorne (60), Rob Farrington (62) and David Towler (66). The four have something very special in common - they all attended the 1957 World Scout Jamboree in the UK, they are meeting up for the first time today in London after nearly 50 years thanks to the new website.

Derek, who emigrated to Canada over forty years ago, has flown in specially today to reunite with his friends. "If I thought that after five decades I would be able to track these guys down by using space-age systems" he said, "I would have eaten my woggle!"

Some of the Movement's younger Members also attended the launch, supporting The Scout Association's strong links with fellow charities.

Like the thousands of other Scouters around the UK they will also be raising much-needed funds for Red Nose Day 2003.