Hut Fundraising – 1st Stocksfield Scout Group

We have made a good start raising the funds we need to demolish the old hut, erect a new building and landscape the site. The total amount we need to raise is over £200,000. For a project of this size, we are raising money through a mix of fundraising activities and by applying for grants. As you’ll have seen from the Construction update page, we are committed to completing this project!

Atlantic Row

An ex-Scout raised funds for us by rowing with colleagues across the Atlantic Ocean in 39 days, 23 hours and 21 minutes – very well done to all of them!

Read more about it in the Hexham Courant.

Row the Amazon

Amazon Row 2015 Not content with rowing across the Atlantic, ex-Scout Stephen Harpin rowed the entire navigable length of the Amazon River – a total distance of 3,342 km (2,077 miles) – from Nauta in Peru to Macapá in Brazil. Part of a five person crew, he spent over a month in their boat “the Bishop”. The team faced very challenging conditions: intense sun, heat and very high levels of humidity. Each day they had to ensure they could find clean drinking water to avoid dehydration and debilitating sickness. On the water the had to dodge fallen trees and the enormous river barge convoys – day and night. They also had to keep an eye out for modern day prates! Navigating the remote upper reaches of the Peruvian Amazon, the dense forests of Colombia, and the busy shipping lanes of Brazil demanded immense stamina, a very high degree of committed training and above all strength of mind and teamwork. This voyage inspired the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts who followed the boat’s progress from home.

Hadrian’s Wall Challenge

Suggested by parents as a way to help members of the Group get involved, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and parents walked sections of the wall, sponsored as they went. One group managed to walk/run the entire length in just 3 days!

Other Activities

The Group has been actively fund-raising through a mix of regular and one-off events. These include collecting and delivering cards for the Christmas Scout Post and working with Tynedale Lions on their Santa’s Sleigh each December, helping with litter-picking and car parking at the Tynedale Beer Festival each June, a sponsored walk by the Beavers, a sponsored cycle by one Cub (who raised over £600), a quiz night at the local Cricket Club and an inspired video on YouTube:

Two scouts in Santa hats stand in front and Santa and the Tynedale Lions sleigh — Helping Santa

Online Fundraising

We have tried to make good use of the opportunities from online fundraising too. If you register once with the Give as you Live website, then shops in the scheme will donate a proportion of your purchases to the Scout Group. This doesn’t cost you anything and every purchase will bring a smile to the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in Stocksfield.

If your online shopping centres around Amazon, then you can use the Amazon Smile website to raise funds for the Group with every purchase too

Grants and Donations

At the same time we have been pro-actively applying for grants and donations of time, materials and machine hire. A full list of supporters will be displayed in the completed hut and includes the following organisations and individuals:

Thank you (and the others who’d prefer to remain anonymous) for your generosity and support. You are helping to make a difference to the young people of Stocksfield and all the other people in the community and beyond who will be able to use the new hut.

We’d also like to thank Broomley First School, Stocksfield Baptist Church, St John’s Church, Wheelbirks Farm and the 1st Hexham Scout Group for providing us with alternative facilities during the demolition and rebuilding.

We’d like to thank volunteers from Northumbrian Water for helping with the landscaping work.

If you have other ideas or want to get involved please Contact Us.