A HARD-HIT community has seen seven years of hard work and dedication pay off with the opening of its new Scouting headquarters.
The 1st Hurst Green Scout group has been homeless since 2005 when its Mill Lane base was ravaged by fire.
Years of struggle through adversity, topped by a fantastic fundraising effort, culminated in a new HQ finally being opened on Saturday.
Vandals struck in July 2005 whilst members were away on a summer camp.
Thankfully this meant equipment such as tents and canoes were not in the building at the time and were spared from the devastation.
But the loss of their home caused real hardship and led to a lengthy itinerant existence.
Over the following seven wilderness years group members had to meet at alternative makeshift locations – either at St Agatha's Hall in Hurstlands or Holland Junior School in Holland Road – and lived out of storage containers.
A major fundraising drive was launched towards the £270,000 cost of a replacement building.
Money-spinning ventures varied from a rock concert, a bingo night and a supermarket bag pack.
A host of local organisations gave donations including Hazelwood School, Hurst Green Village Fair Committee, St John's Church, Limpsfield Golf Club ladies' section, Oxted Parish Council, and Oxted Round Table. The group was inundated with offers of help, buoyed by appeals in the Surrey Mirror.
Group chairman Neville Jacobs, said: "We received a cheque for £5,000 from someone who just wanted to help out.
"It's been fantastic. We've had mums and dads coming in to help and some of the older children as well."
The wrecked building was demolished and planning approval clinched for a new HQ with a 99-year lease from Tandridge District Council.
Parents, Scouts and volunteers dedicated several Saturdays to decorating the interior of the building.
Saturday's official opening was packed, with Tandridge District Council Deputy Chairman Beverley Connolly cutting a ribbon to officially open the premises.
She said: "It just goes to show what can be achieved when a community pulls together.
"I am so impressed by the vitality and commitment of the people there.
"It is truly inspirational."
Anne Carter-Pegg from Limpsfield, whose 15-year-old son Edward has progressed up to the Explorers group over the past five years, said: "It's such good news.
"For the first time my son does not have to attend meetings in temporary buildings.
"Saturday's opening was a really exciting day."
Despite the uphill struggle, the group still managed to boast the greatest number of members of any group in the East Surrey District – around 100 in either the ranks of Beavers, Cubs or Scouts.
East Surrey District Scouts' Chairman Ken Bush, who lives in Meadowlands, Hurst Green, said: "It has taken a very long time to get to this stage.
"What's marvellous is, throughout all these years, the number of young people attending has not dropped."
