A Scout group based in Oadby has received a donation from local housebuilder Ashberry Homes to fund new camping equipment.
Scouts from 88th Leicester, based at St Peter’s Church in Oadby, were given £500 by Ashberry Homes, which is building new homes at Horwood Gardens off Gartree Road.
The money was used to contribute towards the cost of three rucksacks and a large hiking tent, which was used on a camping trip to Markfield from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 May.
Leader of 88th Leicester Scouts, Mark Goodall, said: “When I first heard about the donation, I was both very surprised and very pleased. Donations don’t come out of the blue very often, and to be approached by a large company in this way is a very rare occurrence.
“We put the money towards the cost of a three-person Vango Omega 350 hiking tent and three good quality rucksacks. These will enable our older Scouts to go on a series of challenging expeditions, now that we are beginning to resume our usual activities following a series of suspensions and curtailments as a result of the pandemic.
“This donation was very timely and came ahead of a number of planned trips for the next year or so, including our expedition to John’s Lee Wood in Markfield.
“Even though we use good quality camping equipment, which is expensive, it doesn’t take long until it starts to wear out, so we are continually replacing it and purchasing spares to ensure we are not left short – there really is nothing worse than getting cold and wet!
“This funding from Ashberry Homes will make a genuinely substantial difference to our group. We would like to sincerely thank Ashberry Homes for supporting and taking an interest in local groups such as ours, and we are very grateful for this generous donation.”
Shirley MacLeod, Sales Manager for Ashberry Homes South Midlands, said: “As part of our commitment to the local community near Horwood Gardens in Oadby, we were keen to make a positive difference to the children and volunteers from the local Scout group which plays a key role in the heart of the town.
“We hope that this donation will enhance the experiences enjoyed by the Scouts on their forthcoming trips, especially as events like these have been curtailed over the past couple of years.”
Ashberry Homes is delivering a mix of two to five-bedroom properties at Horwood Gardens, which is about a mile and a half from the Scout headquarters at St Peter’s Church in Oadby.
For more information about Horwood Gardens, visit https://www.ashberryhomes.co.uk/new-homes/south-midlands/horwood-gardens, or call the sales team on 0116 490 0340.