Community effort gets Scout group a new building

The 1st Bakewell (parish church) Scout Group officially opened its new building on Friday, giving the youngsters valuable storage and work space.

The building, which is located off Bath Street, Bakewell, was built thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund, £12,500 from the Scouts’ own building fund and additional grants and donations from local people totalling around £5,000.

Mike Horrod, group Scout leader, said: “Across from the Brigade Hall, which has been going for at least 100 years, there was an old shed, which eventually fell down. We demolished it last year.”

Stuck for anywhere to store items such as tents and camping equipment, the Scout leaders have volunteered their own garages, however it was only a temporary solution.

They decided to create a bigger and better facility, allowing them to not only store all their equiment safely, but also to create a workshop for the youngsters to use.

“We have been stuck for somewhere to do all the messy jobs we have got – anything from planting up flowers to making bird boxes and go karts,” Mike explained.

“It’s been a tremendous effort, not just getting the grants but clearing the land as well.”

He said the group was also planning to let the facility out to the nearby Medway Centre.