'˜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.”

After 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.

While 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

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