Enfield Scouts group settles into new home (From Enfield Independent)
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Enfield Scouts group settles into new home
2:39pm Monday 14th February 2011 in Education News By Elizabeth Pears
Celebration: Scouts and Beavers herald the creation of their new base as Mayor Cllr Jayne Buckland checks on progress at the derelict site and plants a ceremonial tree
ONE of Enfield's flourishing Scout groups is celebrating finding a permanent home in the shape of a disused plot of land.
After four years of negotiations, the 12th Enfield Scouts Group has signed a 25-year lease with Enfield Council for a derelict site off Stratton Avenue.
Enthusiastic parents from the group have spent the last two weeks revamping an old building to bring it into use until the arrival of a new building kindly donated by Tottenham Hotspur.
The Premiership club agreed to let the Scouts, which has been running for the past 70 years, have the old Invictus Cricket Club Pavillion before it is bulldozed in two weeks time as part of Spurs new training ground development.
William Medcalf, chairman of 12th Enfield Scouts Group, said: "It is all coming together now. The council has been so supportive and Spurs have been very generous. The old pavillion was a wonderful building and instead of being demolished is going to be dismantled and rebuilt in Stratton Avenue.
"It has been a real community effort. Now is not a good time to be asking for money, but what we have done is approach local businesses who have donated things like locks. When you say it is for the Scouts, doors really open."
As part of the project, both Beavers, from aged 6, and the Scouts, up until age 18, will take a hands-on approach to the regeneration of their new base as they work through their badges.
Enfield Mayor Jayne Buckland visited Stratton Avenue on Saturday to check on the site's progress and to plan a ceremonial tree to mark the milestone.
Donna-Maria Cullen, executive director of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: "We are delighted to be able to support the 12th Enfield Scout Group with the donation of this building which will become the headquarters within the group's new base.
"This has been made possible through the development of the club's new state of the art training centre and demonstrates our commitment and support of local charities and organisations."
