A LOCAL scout group celebrated last weekend with the opening of their new activity area.
1st Redditch Scouts secured the funding through the Youth Investment Fund.
Volunteers have worked over the last three months to clear a large expanse of land that was overgrown and laid five tonnes of rubber bark to create a new activity area.
The grant funding has also been used to install a new outdoor shelter to allow the children attending the group to work outside in all weathers, as well as a set of traverse walls to help the children keep fit.
Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and their families attended a family afternoon where all of the new equipment also purchased with the grant funding was on display for parents and children to see and try out.
Mayor Ann Isherwood and local Councillor Emma Marshall attended the event and the Mayor officially opened the new activity area, cutting the ribbon with the mayoral gold scissors, their first use since her recent inauguration.
The Mayor also presented awards to the top performers across the three sections as well as Oliver Glover-Waters, a member of the Scout Troop who was voted Top Scout by his peers, being named the Mayor’s Cadet starting his new role supporting with her civic duties during her term in office.
Group scout leader, Sallie-Ann Eaton, said: “I am so pleased that we have completed the new area and can’t wait to see our children getting out there and starting to use the equipment to further enrich the great experiences we offer at 1st Redditch Scout Group.
“I have to thank Sally Payne for her assistance getting the grant, Redditch Round Table, Redditch Explorers and Network, PGE Landscaping and Redditch Skip Hire for their assistance in clearing the area and our leaders and parents for giving up their weekends to help get all the new rubber bark laid”.
