About 1st Kennington Scout Group New Hall Fund

The Kennington Scout Group, whose centre of operations is the Scout Hut on Lower Vicarage Road Kennington, has a long and illustrious history in Ashford since its start in 1911, only 3 years after Baden-Powell founded the Scout Movement. Literally thousands of Ashford children have benefited from the wonderful boost that Scouting gives to their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development, over the years.

The current Scout Hut has served the Kennington Group for nearly 50 years. It is steeped in history and character and has some wonderful stories to tell but alas in recent years the structure has deteriorated to the point where, despite extensive ‘first aid’, it can no longer provide the facilities and needs of the modern Scout Group. Plans for a new Scout Hall on the same site have been drawn up and approved by Ashford Council. The cost is in excess of £250,000 and because they are a voluntary organisation the money needs to be raised by the Scouts themselves and their supporters. With only £50,000 raised so far they have a long way to go and need all the help they can get!

Mike Cullen, the Kennington Scout Leader, said “We have a big challenge to raise the funds but we are optimistic that the Ashford community will support us. We are planning a series of fundraising events over the next 12 months to help energise the campaign”!

The first such event is a mammoth cross-country run to be completed by running mad parent of three Kennington Scouts, Mike Munroe. Mike aims to tackle the famous North Down’s Way which starts at Farnham in Hampshire and ends at Dover. The route Mike will take covers 163 miles and will involve completing almost a marathon a day for six consecutive days over sometimes rough and hilly terrain.
Mike, a veteran of 21 marathons, has been training hard over the last 3 months including a trip to India to complete the Mumbai Marathon in gruelling 96F heat. Mike joked “ I am expecting weather conditions to be cooler on the North Down’s Way but rain  could cause problems on the notoriously muddy footpaths en route”.
When asked why he was doing the mammoth run Mike commented, “My three teenage children have benefited tremendously from being part of the Kennington Scout Group and this is my way of saying thank you. I also want to help ensure that future generations of kids can do the same”!

Mike’s run starts at Farnham Railway Station at 10am on Monday 26th March and will finish at Noon on 1st April at the Scout Hut on Lower Vicarage Road.

Peter Hickman, Fundraising Campaign Manager for the Scout Group is coordinating the financial side of this and future activities. Peter said “ we are really hoping that current Scouts, their families and the community at large will get behind this campaign. I estimate that there are around 1500  ex-Kennington Scouts in Ashford  and the surrounding area and we would love them to get involved and reconnect.”