After four years of fundraising, Scouts in Derry Hill are over the moon to move into their new hut.

The 1st Derry Hill Scout Group needed to move from its aging hut on the Bowood Estate, where it had been based for nearly 30 years, because its lease was running out.

Leaders said the old hut, off Old Road, had poor sanitation plus an unreliable electricity source and they have spent the past four years trying to find the £30,000 needed for a new building.

Scout leader Dave Stovell said: “I think this new hut is excellent.

“If you compare it with the one we currently use it is amazing.

“It is a testament to the hard work of everyone who helped us.”

Plans to move to a new site just down the road from the old hut were delayed when the group failed to pick up support from the parish council, which was concerned about traffic on the narrow lane.

“We have been trying to get a new hut since I joined the group, and that was four years ago,” Mr Stovell said.

“It took a long time to raise the funds and get the planning permission we needed.”

With donations from Viridor, Bowood and other charitable sources the hut was finally bought and the Scouts will benefit from kitchen facilities and outdoor space to build bonfires.

Mr Stovell said: “A big space was the main thing we were after.

“We try to vary the activities we do as much as possible and our aim is to give them the opportunity to do something they would not normally get to do. For example we show them how to light fires and cook over an open flame.”

The Scout leaders might have overcome the hurdle of funding a new building, but the Cubs group is at risk of closing due to a lack of volunteers to lead the 20 youngsters. If nobody comes forward the children who are now Beavers will have nowhere to move up to, and will be forced to join the waiting list for another group.

“We might have to close the Cub group because we do not have enough people to lead them,” Mr Stovell said. “We have had some people volunteer but we do not know if everything will work out.

“It would be fantastic if more people came forward to help us.”

Anyone interested in volunteering to help lead the cub group can e-mail scoutleader@stovell.me.uk