This will fund the fitting of the steel external access staircase and balcony, which will allow us, multiple groups, to use the Scout HQ for Scouting or other community activities and provide separate access facilitating monitoring collection and drop off of children, without disrupting other groups using the main hall.
The balcony will create a useable space for break out activity areas for Scouting and other community groups using the space. During the build, the cost of steel has increased by more than 150% as a result of Covid supply chain disruption which places a large risk on this element not being affordable for some time as the final stage in the build.
Rolleston Scout Group truly believe that every young person deserves an adventure. We have over 50 young people on our waiting list who want to join Beavers, Cubs and Scouts as soon as we have capacity. Our HQ main hall is busy with Scouting groups meeting every weekday night, and the waitlist continues to grow from the strong positive reputation of the experience our leaders create. We are passionate about maintaining a high-quality Scouting experience so cannot simply increase the number of young people per session.
We begin every scouting career with the aim of achieving the Gold Scout award by the time our young people leave us at 14.5 years. Many go on to become Explorer Scouts, Young Leaders and volunteer in the community and many continue toward their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Scouting is a way of life, a way of thinking and we hope the experiences we create foster a lifelong desire to make a positive contribution to their community wherever in the world they travel or settle.
Our vision is to extend the Scout HQ building to create space where a second Scouting Group can meet, so that we can welcome the 50+ waitlisted young people. The extension is financially sustainable because it can be hired when not required for Scouting by community groups - which are so vital in a semi-rural neighbourhood - especially after Covid. There are no other fully accessible buildings in the village. Our extension includes a wheelchair lift to the 1st floor and will provide a unique and important venue for all age groups and activities including parent and baby groups, keep-fit, music rehearsal, WI meetings, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and is open to all community groups.
After years of intensive fundraising through marque hire and creative events including Rollestonbury (summer outdoor music festival), Carnival parade with decorated floats, Proms night and fireworks night among others we had just enough with borrowing from District Scouts to start the build of the extension to the HQ. We continue fundraising through 'buy a brick' and a VIP programme.
Despite the best preparation (for which Scouts are famed) as with any large scale build there were unexpected costs with groundworks and steel which have taken us the edge of our budget.
This grant application will fund the windows and doors to the first floor, which will be required to secure and complete the build, just at the point our financial reserves hit their lowest point. Ultimately if we cannot fund these essentials the windows will be boarded up and may impact room rental income.
We need your help to finish the build and create the adventure every young person deserves so they get the best start in life and continue to give back to their communities through the great start in Scouting.
Rolleston Scout Group truly believe that every young person deserves an adventure. We have over 50 young people on our waiting list who want to join Beavers, Cubs and Scouts as soon as we have capacity. Our HQ main hall is busy with Scouting groups meeting every weekday night, and the waitlist continues to grow from the strong positive reputation of the experience our leaders create. We are passionate about maintaining a high-quality Scouting experience so cannot simply increase the number of young people per session.