AN Aberystwyth scouting group is appealing for help from the local community to find a new temporary home.

The 3rd Aberystwyth Scouts’ hut on Plascrug Avenue has been deemed unsafe and as a result, the group are looking for a new home while they try to raise funds to build a new home on the site.

The group has been a fixture of Aberystwyth since the 1950s and the group, which has around 40 Beavers, Cubs and Scouts on its books, is appealing for anyone who may have a venue they could use once lockdown restrictions allow.

Jonathan Snelling, group Scout leader, explained: “We decided during the pandemic to get the hut checked, as we knew some work would be needed to get it ready to accept children again post-virus.

“However we received the news that the hut is not fit for purpose any more and repairing it is futile.

“Therefore it will require a complete rebuild.

“The estimated costs of this are approximately £120,000, an amount we want to achieve but are not sure when or if we will.

“With rules being as they are currently, we are planning on holding a meeting outside in October, but have been keeping busy throughout lockdown on Zoom.

“The aim is to start applying for grants and fundraise as soon as we can to rebuild a hut on the land, which could also be used as a community space when the scouts aren’t using it.

“Scouting has been part of the community in Aberystwyth for longer than a Scout hut has existed.

“More recently we have done several charity events, such as in June last year when we took part in the Everest challenge, where the scouts set out to collectively walk Constitution Hill a number of times equal to the height of Everest, 8,848m compared to Constitution Hill’s 97m.

“We collectively managed to reach the summit of Everest once and Snowdon five times.

“The Beavers have also frequently helped clear the beaches of North and South Beach.

“Plus, last year, saw one of our Scouts and five of our leaders head off to West Virginia for the World Scout Jamboree, to join 45,000 Scouts there and representing not just Wales, but Ceredigion and Aberystwyth too. Ceredigion send seven leaders in total, five of which being from Aberystwyth.

“With dwindling numbers however, the recent setbacks that have befallen us, and the virus halting what we can do, we are not sure how long the group can survive.

“We are hoping to appeal to the wider community of Aber for a new place to stay at while we work out what to do with the current Scout hut. We meet on Monday and Tuesday evenings but are flexible.“

If anyone wishes to help in scouting in Aber, we are always happy to welcome anyone into the fold.”

Anyone who can help the Scouts find a temporary home for meetings and their equipment, including tents and flags, is asked to contact them via their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/3rdAberystwythScouts or email [email protected]