'˜Amazing' new building for Southwick Scouts is officially opened
The new home of the 1st Southwick Scout Group has replaced the former, 58-year-old scout hut in Sandown Road.
Mark Noakes, group scout leader, said: “We have achieved our goal and delivered what I consider to be an amazing building that will give the local scouting community a huge boost and hopefully give thousands of young people the opportunity to join the movement and have fun while learning valuable life skills for many years to come.”
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Hide AdAfter the old building, known as Burton Hall, succumbed to subsidence, it was decided to demolish it completely and start afresh with a brand-new, purpose-built hall.
Mr Noakes said: “It was quite a sad decision for some of us as we had spent so many happy hours in our old home, some of us even attended as Scouts ourselves in our younger years.”
The group moved out in January, 2017, and part of the land was sold to be redeveloped into a three-bedroom house, a move which helped fund a substantial part of the new building.
However, the Scouts still needed to raise £54,000 – a ‘monumental task’ which was made possible thanks to a loan from the West Sussex Scout Executive.
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Hide AdWhile the building is now open, Mr Noakes said: “We are still some £13,000 adrift, but after what we have already achieved this does not seem such a daunting task.”
The new hall is built to ‘the latest standards’, with disabled access and toilets and full insulation – which means ‘no more freezing cold nights sitting around with coats on’, Mr Noakes said.
He thanked chairman and treasurer Ken and Sue George and the executive committee for their support, along with the following businesses and organisations for their donationd and support:
Amy and Tony Banks
Mayoss and co builders
Sussex masonic charities
Shoreham port authority
Scottish power
The Hinchliffe family
Premier windows
Shoreham Yacht Club
Dunelm Shoreham
Coppard Giles
The Dudman Group
Southwick Round Table
Adur Lions
Gardner and Scardifield
Topps Tiles
Premier Direct
B&Q Shoreham
Mackleys
Wickes of Worthing
Hop Engineering
Hampshire tile warehouse
Eyre and Ellison
B&Q Worthing
Travis perkins portslade
Finecut Group
Iron designs
Tss facilities
Tile tile tile
Mayberry garden centre
Wenban smith Worthing
Exquisite floors
Paula Rosa
Greg stone flooring
Tesco Shoreham
DH Foundation
Halfords
Shoreham academy youth wing
Cardens accountants
PJ Logistics
West sussex county scouts
Homebase
Brewers paints
Southwick and shoreham beach masonic lodges
Currys
PC world
Paul Braisby and Lloyds bank
Aviva community fund