On 20th October our hall was broken into and someone started two fires in different areas of the building. The damage is pretty serious, the kitchen needs gutting and the entire building needs to be rewired. We’ve lost over £7,500 worth of tents and equipment in the fire too.

Over 100 young people come to Beavers, Cubs and Scouts each week, we also have an Explorer Unit using the hall and they've all lost their “home.” Everyone worked so hard over the last 10 years as volunteers making the hall look smart and modern. It was almost destroyed in one evening in less than an hour by some very thoughtless people.

Not only have we as Scouts lost our meeting place, there are so many others that have lost out too. A local karate school has been disrupted, as has a keep fit class. There is also an adult care group that used the hall for their base every day. Vulnerable adults that needed this hall and the amazing care they get have had to find an alternative venue and been disrupted too. As the Group Scout Leader and volunteer that looks after all the needs of the Scout Group and the hall I am, like everyone else totally gutted and upset to see the mess we've been left in.

However, we will not be beaten! We're bigger and better than those responsible for making this mess. We're rebuilding, moving on and will be reopening bigger, better and stronger than we were before someone lit that match.

Please support us, every single pound will help so much (in addition to our insurance claim) as we face this immense challenge. We need to get the hall reopened, have all the users enjoying it and to do that we need money. Your help will allow us to get the building reopened, refurbished and back as a fun & functional place for the community to enjoy as it should be.

Thanks for reading a bit about our story, and thank you for supporting our great cause.