Update March 2026 - OPENING CEREMONY

On Friday 6th March over 50 scouts from 5th Haywards Heath Scout group gathered to witness Tim Peake, astronaut, major and scout ambassador, open The Barn, a new combined scout and community centre at the heart of the Bentswoods area of Haywards Heath.

Alongside the scouts and members of the local community were a whole host of dignitaries, amongst them Mid Sussex MP Alison Bennett, Mayor of Haywards Heath Cllr Duncan Pascoe, Sussex PCC Katy Bourne, representatives from the District and Town Councils.

After cutting the ribbon and pronouncing The Barn open, Tim Peake took time to give out space badges to the younger members of the Scouts, as well as posing for photographs and signing books for members of the public.

A spokesperson said “After 73 years of waiting, 5th Haywards Heath scouts finally have a home. With the Bentswood Hub, we hope to put the community at the very heart of this great new space. We would like to thank Tim Peake for taking the time to launch The Barn. The opening of this fantastic new Community Hub and Scout Centre is the culmination of years of hard work and huge thanks to everyone involved who made this possible.”

The Barn will be the new home for 5th Haywards Heath scout group and the Bentwood Hub CIC, a community interest group who work closely with the local community. The last round of fundraising to fully kit out the centre for community use is ongoing, with all donations still welcome. The hub will also be available for rent by people and groups from the community.

We are still fundraising for fit-out costs as the building is currently useable for Scouting but not yet hireable because of lack of equipment inside.

Update October 2025. Building exterior complete and interior work going on. £50k-£60k of equipment/fittings needed.

We are SO EXCITED that the exterior building construction has finshed and the contractors are working hard to get the interior ready with the aim of it being finished by Christmas. See below for pictures - for the very first time we can share a picture of the interior. Fundraising for the building itself, assuming no major fluctuations over the next few months, is now complete - thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has contributed. It really is a community effort which still will be here to provide Scouting and community services for our current Squirrels' grandchildren! We are now fundraising for the equipment we need to make the building fit for its multiple purposes and currently estimate this at between £50k and £60k to get everything we need.

Update July 2025. Walls up and a roof going on - £25k left to raise

THANK YOU!! to everyone who has supported this project, we are so grateful to all of you. Roof beams are in place and roof construction started - we are beginning to think about a small topping out ceremony (and even daring to start dreaming about the opening event which will be huge!). Some of the construction costs have risen recently, as is normal with these projects so the budget has fluctuated but we have also had some successes with more grant-making trusts and foundations so the total we need to raise now is £25,600.

Update June 2025 - making progress

Steels are up and breeze blocks rising - we are so excited to be so close to our fundraising target. We now only need just over £36,000 to reach our goal and are VERY grateful to all those in our local community who have donated - THANK YOU ALL. Can you help us get this desperately needed community centre over the line so that we can open it in early 2026?

Project Overview

Mid Sussex District Scouts need a new home for one of their groups. Scouting in Mid Sussex is thriving with long waiting lists but in order to grow the provision we need new premises. The 5th Haywards Heath Scouts will be moving into the new building as soon as it opens. The Bentswood Hub, a CIC who provide a range of essential community services for many people including young people, the elderly, marginalised groups and those living with poverty, also need new premises as they have outgrown their current unit.

With the support of Mid Sussex District Council, who recognise the acute need in the area for community facilities, the two organisations have developed a partnership to enable the new building to come to fruition. See more here

Funding situation - April 2025

The total budget for the project is in the region of £850k. Phase one of the building (exterior) is fully funded but we are looking for just over £100,000 to fund phase 2 (interior of the building and fit-out). We are applying for all the grant-funding that we might be eligible for and reaching out to any companies or sponsors that could be interested.

If you are able to contribute to the project, however small an amount, we would be incredibly grateful, every donation gets us closer to our vision of opening this fabulous community centre and Scout hut in an area which so badly needs it. Thank you

Mar 25 Construction has started

Construction started on 6th March 2025; you can see pictures from our groundbreaking ceremony in the gallery. The project is well-supported by the local community and we had invited guests including our local MP, high sheriff, district and local councillors and the town mayor.