Pembroke's Viking Explorer Scout Unit are taking part in an educational project that will compare and contrast the military and dockyard history of Pembroke Dock with that of Portsmouth.

Valero's Pembroke refinery is helping to fund a trip for the 14 explorer scouts aged 14 to 18. They will be hosted by their counterparts in Portsmouth for four days in August and will visit Portsmouth naval dockyard as part of the project. The scouts will also have the opportunity to go hiking in the New Forest and Queen Victoria Park, situated just outside Portsmouth.

As part of the preparation, the explorer scouts are doing a lot of research on Pembroke Dock and its history as it approaches the 200th anniversary of its establishment as a town.

Donna Maiden, who volunteers with the Pembroke scout unit, said: "We have a number of explorers from disadvantaged communities who will be able to go and see a dockyard outside Pembrokeshire. For them, it is going to be a great experience, to go out and meet new explorers and experience a different area and see a different navel town, how it has developed and expanded."

She explained that part of the preparation could be used towards accreditation as many were preparing for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and Chief Scout Awards.

"We are trying to encourage them to plan as much as possible for themselves to give them skills for later on in life. They are in the process of planning the menus and as we have kitchen facilities with an oven, they can be more adventurous than we usually can be on a camp."

William James, Valero public affairs assistant, said: "We try to help any project that will help children develop their full potential and this is an excellent example of teenagers here in Pembroke looking at what is on their doorstep and comparing it to how a similar town has developed, as well as picking up some life skills on the way."