Buxton Scout hut transformed into community hub after £10,000 Tarmac grant and countless volunteer hours

Thanks to many hours of volunteer work and a £10,000 grant from Tarmac’s Landfill Communities Fund, the home of the 1st Buxton group, on Mill Cliff, has been fitted out with a new kitchen.

Further support from the Bingham Trust and local engineering firm Otter Controls has allowed for new toilets to be installed too.

Group scout leader Steve Hollick explained: “It has been a shame that the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic have prevented all 80 of the 1st Buxton Scout members from getting together but there has been a silver lining to the situation.

“Having the hut empty has meant that kitchen fitters and volunteers have been able to get on with the work safely, without interruption.”

He added: “We now have a much better space than before. The grants have been very welcome and allowed us to significantly improve the facilities – not just for the scouts but for other community groups who were already using the hut. We can also open it up and promote it for wider community use.”

Work on the project has been carried out during lockdown, with many of the group’s support network rolling up their sleeves.

Steve said: “As well as our sponsors, massive thanks go to the volunteers who have worked hard to keep our costs down and get the jobs done.

“In particular, I want to thank Roger Harrison, who has been involved with the 1st Buxton scouts for more than 60 years, and his son and scout leader Robert. Both have devoted all their spare time to manage the project and carry out a lot of the work themselves.”

The Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund allows the company to donate part of its annual tax liability to a variety of community and environmental projects, totalling around £1million a year.

Chris Bradbury, Tarmac’s Tunstead cement plant manager said: “We are really pleased that a grant from this Tarmac fund has been put to good use locally.

“We look forward to seeing how busy the hut is when things are back to normal. I’m sure the improved facilities will make it worth the wait.”

For more information on applying for funding, go to www.entrust.org.uk.