Flag day as Staindrop Scouts use their £110,000 hut for the first time

THE fastest growing Scout pack in the county has used their new hut for the first time.
Competing with several other major development projects in their village, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Staindrop Scouts to raise cash for their new home.
Now praise is being heaped on the leaders who got together £110,000 and sacrificed time and energy on building work.
Group Scout leader Jacqui Nicholson said: “It is a relief. There was a time when we thought it was never going to happen. 
“The problem we have is we have the same postcode as the Scarth Memorial Hall so we couldn’t go for Lottery funding.
There were a lot of pots we couldn’t go for without scuppering the hall. Everything we got was in £5,000 and £10,000 amounts.”
Scarth Hall won a £500,000 Lottery grant for a major refurbishment and was reopened late last year. A group of parents in Staindrop has also been raising cash to re-equip the village playground.
Although Staindrop Scouts began using their new hut for the first time last Wednesday , work is still ongoing, including the kitchen which has been entirely donated to them.
Assistant Scout leader Vince Sewell shortened his working week to help out at the hut.
Ms Nicholson also praised the efforts of Andrew Williams, Steve Jackson and Andy Carr.
She said: “They have not, except Christmas, had a break since September. It is through the sheer hard work and determination of the leaders that we are here.”
The various Scout groups will be using the new hut five nights a week, and this may increase to six times a week because Ms Nicholson believes rapid growth means they may have to start a second cub pack.
An official opening of the new Scout hut is expected soon.