HQ facilities on show

The new Scout and Guide headquarters at Collingham was open to the public on Saturday.

Visitors could see the facilities and help to raise money for further improvements.

The joint chairman of the headquarters management committee, Mr Bob Imrie, said: “I think everyone was fairly impressed. It’s a nice building and it has lots of green features as well like rain water harvesting and we have got solar panels and air flow pumps to heat the building.”

Stalls including a tombola and a raffle helped to raise £402.

Mr Imrie said the money would go towards buying a sign and work to improve the acoustics.

He said: “We are also hoping to put up a climbing wall. The Cubs have recently been on camp and they got to use one there so we thought it would be a good thing to have.”

Mr Imrie said groups were already using the new building, and they had just had their first booking for someone wanting to hold a party.

He also thought there was a possibility of martial arts classes.

An official opening for the building, which also has a meeting room suitable for conferences, will be in September.