SCOUTS & GUIDES NEW HOME

Construction begins at new home for Scouts and Guides in Northallerton.

Years of planning by 1st Northallerton Scout and Guide Group have finally resulted in a new site next to County Hall, opposite the railway station in Boroughbridge Road. Moody Construction has been selected to carry out the work, which create a building to reunite Rainbow, Beaver, Cub, Brownie, Scout, Guide and Explorer groups on a single site once more. Work to enhance the site entrance was completed late last year. Group Scout Leader Duncan Wallace said:

“I know that many people in the town and beyond will be as excited as we are that work on this longed-for project is finally underway. We are very pleased to be working with a trusted local firm such as Moody and are grateful for the support we’ve had for this project from so many other organisations and individuals over the years.”

Many years of fundraising and proceeds from the sale have added to legacies, grants and generous donations. But increased costs and a reduction in available grant funding have in recent years forced a re-think of the scale and design of the building. Scout and Guide Group Chairman Mark Linthwaite stressed that there was still some key fundraising to be done. He said:

“We have enough money for a basic headquarters, but the fundraising goes on, to pay for extras to enhance the finished project. It’s fantastic to have got this far, but now more than ever we need the support of those who value the fantastic opportunities that the Scouting and Guiding movements offer our young people. We really need the community’s ongoing support for this, the home straight.”

As well as donations and offers of fundraising help, parents, supporters and businesses are also being asked to pitch in with offers to donate goods or services for the new building. The various sections have been meeting at various separate locations across Northallerton since the group’s former home – in dilapidated wooden former Second World War huts – was sold in 2015 to help fund the project. Scouting in Northallerton is more than a century old. For 50 years children met at the repurposed wooden wartime huts in the town’s Malpas Road.

The new building is expected to be complete in November.

• To find out more, including how to support the project, visit scoutsandguides.co.uk or find the group on Facebook.

“As one of the largest privately owned construction organisations in the region we believe that our core values were instrumental in our selection to work alongside the dedicated Northallerton Scout team to create their new home.  For the best part of 100 years we have tried to support the local community, local charities, local sport and recreational groups and local businesses and we are committed to working pro-actively with Northallerton Scout Group to ensure these new headquarters provide this resolute local organisation with the facilities they need and deserve.”

James Moody, Construction Director at Moody Construction