The plight of Ardrossan Scouts facing massive costs to upgrade and refurbish their ageing 50-year-old building has been given a financial boost with a £500 cheque from the Hunterston Rotary Club.

After a Rotary member read an article in the Herald highlighting the Scout’s dilemma, a decision was made to provide the funds which will go towards a major upgrade of the building.

Austen Brown, Ardrossan Group Scout Leader, said: “Our building has, for some time, been in urgent need of restoration with roof repairs and better insulation a priority. We would like to thanks members of Hunterston Rotary for their amazing donation...it will go a considerable way to improving our facilities.”

The cheque was presented to a team from Ardrossan Scouts who attended a meeting of Hunterston Rotary by Gail Savage, Rotary District Governor and Jim Jackson, community convener.

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Plans for a new building had previously been drawn up for the troop.

It is understood that the Ardrossan Scout Group had managed to raise almost £350,000 from the Lottery Fund, a Justgiving campaign and other sources for the construction of new premises, however as these funds were time critical, they had to be returned when the final estimate for rebuilding the hall escalated to almost £500,000.

Pictured are, left to right: Liam Scott, Scout Section Leader, Austen Brown, group scout leader, Gail Savage, District 1230 Governor, Mandy Fulham, Cub Scout Leader and Jim Jackson, Hunterston Rotary Community Secretary.