Grateful members of a long-standing Coventry Scout group are looking forward to renovating their more than 60-year-old hut thanks to a donation from a local building materials retailer.
The 74th Coventry (Whitley) Group has begun work on the facilities upgrade project at its Abbey Road base.
The group, which includes 65 young people attending four sessions each week, can now continue the work after the Coventry branch of Selco Builders Warehouse donated £1,000 worth of building materials.
A team of 10 volunteers from Selco also visited the Scout Hut for a day to build decking and two sheds.
Simon Caughey-Rogers, lead volunteer for 74th Coventry, said: “The Scout group has been around since 1943 and we have been in our current hut since the 1960s.
“Over this time the condition of the building has inevitably deteriorated and we need to make changes to make our facilities suitable for 21st century Scouting.
“A few years ago one of our leaders – Stanley Visley – sadly passed away and he left a small amount of money to the Scout troop so we could think about the renovations.
“However, we still need the community’s support and Selco’s support is making an absolutely massive difference.
“We are so grateful for the materials they provided and then having members of the team volunteer was a truly fantastic gesture.
“The improvements we are making include building a new campfire area, upgrading the storage areas so we keep the equipment we have in good condition and making the toilets accessible to everyone.
“It’s a big project but it will allow us to future-proof the Scout group for many years to come.”
Comprised of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, the 74th Coventry Troop also hosts the Godiva Explorers and holds meetings on three different evenings each week.
Matt Hunt, Selco Coventry branch manager, said: “The 74th Coventry Group provides a fantastic service for the young people in and around Coventry and we are very proud to support their ambition to create a new hut.”
“Any initiative that helps secure the long-term future of community organizations such as Scout groups is vitally important to us.
“We were committed to supporting the group with materials and it was also fantastic that members of the branch team, along with our marketing colleagues, volunteered for a day to support the further development of the hut.”