Walton Vikings Sea Scouts has become a huge part of so many young people’s lives – but we’ve outgrown our space.
With 160 young members and a waiting list of over 200, we need a new, accessible, purpose-built HQ to keep supporting them. We would like to be able to use this as an opportunity to serve the wider community and create a space that would also benefit local businesses and communities.
The current scout hut has been there for over 100 years and isn’t large enough, warm enough or accessible enough to be able to offer it for use to other people. A new headquarters will mean that we can open our doors to local businesses, groups, and charities, with the aim of creating a space where people can come together.
This plan is about more than just a scout hut, it’s about building a thriving space for everyone to use.
Why do we need a new HQ ?
- Our current HQ is over one hundred years old – We are nursing it along with as much TLC as we can, but it is starting to show it’s age. Additionally, the requirements from the 1920’s are very different from today, and there are some serious limitations that we have to work around.
- It is too small – We currently have over 160 members between the age of 6 and 18, and a waiting list of over 200. A new, larger, purpose built HQ would allow us to both increase the size of each section (Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Explorers), and run more sections side by side. This will allow us to welcome even more young people from the local area in our group.
- We want to be able to support local voluntary groups – Although our HQ is very busy during the evenings and many weekends, there are times when it isn’t fully utilised. We would love for local groups to be able to take advantage of our facilities, but due to the current limitations of the building, that isn’t practical. A new HQ would benefit not just Viking Sea Scouts, but many others in the local community.
For us to proceed, we’ll need all the help we can get, from community outreach to fund raising and much more. This page will be regularly updated, but if you have any questions, or want to know how to help or support us in any way, please get in touch with the Hut team – hutplan@waltonviking.uk
