SCOUTS APPEAL TO END VILLAGE EXILE

Homeless Scouts are appealing for people to do their best to help them end a two-year exile from their village.

Eleven members of the Fiskerton Scout Group have been forced to join a group six miles away in Lincoln since their hut was destroyed in a fire two years ago.

Around 30 Cubs and Beavers have had to use premises in neighbouring Cherry Willingham and at Fiskerton Primary School.

But the 5th Lincoln (Fiskerton St Clements) Scouts want to be back home in time for their 30th anniversary next year.

The group has secured planning permission for a new hut on the site of the old one in Ferry Road. It even has a builder lined up to do the work.

But the Scouts have only about £57,000 of the £65,500 needed to pay for it so they are appealing for donations before the builder’s quote expires at the end of next month.

Member of the Scouts parents’ committee, Caroline Thompson, said returning to their own hut would be the end of a two-year headache.

“Fiskerton is a small village but there has been a Scout hut here for as long as I have lived here,” she said.

“We want the new hall to be a youth centre because there is nothing for young people here at the moment.

“But we desperately need to reach our target soon – or we face having to pay more for the hut.”

Both the Scout hall and Fiskerton Village Hall were demolished after the blaze left them too badly damaged to repair.

The group also lost much of its equipment including tents, chairs and tables.

Group Scout leader Sharon Spencer said the loss of so much had made it difficult for them to carry on but they were determined to move into their new home.

“We have been relying on the kindness of other people and organisations for the past two years and we are very grateful for all the help we have had,” she said.

“But we want to be the Scout group in Fiskerton again, especially as it is our 30th anniversary next year.

“When the fire broke out, the firemen saved our flags – it would be lovely to see them flying again in time for that.”

Although the Beavers and Cubs found alternative premises after the fire, the Scout group had to temporarily disband.

Since the fire they have had to join the 31st Lincoln Scouts, based in Walmer Street, off Monks Road, Lincoln.

Plans are being developed to revive the group at the same pre-school unit at Fiskerton Primary School that is used by the Beavers.

But Scout Kirsty Thompson (13) said she would love to see a new purpose-built hut for Scouts in Fiskerton.

“I like Scouting in Lincoln but I would rather do it in my home village,” she said.

“We’ve got lots of open countryside around Fiskerton, which means we can put the out into Scouting.”

To find out more about the Fiskerton Scout group send an e-mail