Bottesford Scout and Guide Centre Refurbished

     Opening of the Refurbished Scout and Guide Centre

On November 14th 2009 the refurbished Bottesford Scout and Guide Centre was officially opened by the Mayor of Melton.

Jill Bagnall, who has been a Guide leader in Bottesford for over 30 years, recalled her father’s involvement with the Scout movement in Bottesford and the tradition he established of celebrating important events, like the opening if the new Scout hut in1971, in verse. Jill decided that she would tell the story of the refurbishment of the Scout and Guide Centre in the same way.

“My father wrote a poem for the opening ceremony at the time

So I couldn’t let this occasion go by, without a little rhyme.”

My father Jay Howitt became Bottesford’s new Scout Master in 1954

The meetings were held in the Methodist Chapel for a year or more.

Then, purchased for £150, the old British Legion hut became their first H.Q.

It served them well for 13 years, there was many a job to do.

A new H.Q. was what was needed, everyone agreed, and so

Plans were put into action. Who could they ask? Who did they know?

Scouts and Dads helped pull the old place down, on an old cine film I have the proof

It wouldn’t happen today, Health and Safety would go through the roof.

Ken Greasley the builder and his tradesmen worked hard to get the job done.

Committee members, parents and friends lent a hand, soon the battle was won.

The opening was in Nov. 1971 – eventually a new place for the Guides to meet.

Brownies and later Rainbows joined the group – we’d landed on our feet.

In 1991 two new storerooms were built, for all our equipment, you see.

The two builders who offered and did the job were Paul Chambers and Lyn Worley.

In November 2005 we found the heaters beyond repair and it was cold at night.

A plea was sent out to the village – letters explaining our plight.

The response was fantastic, offers of heaters, then donations came flooding in.

It was only three months later that we had a new heating system put in.

This started the project to update the H.Q. A lottery grant would be great.

Pru Chandler contacted the Regeneration Office at Melton Borough Council, set up a meeting and date.

Cub Leader Viv Money filled in endless forms. Eventually we hit the jackpot.

Ten thousand pounds we were awarded, with that we could do quite a lot!

New floors throughout, the electrics, new kitchen – the list was endless.

We carried on meeting in the H.Q. while work was in progress.

Thanks to our kind neighbour Pete Smith, talking to him’s never dull,

Special thanks to our tradesmen, Ian Smith, Ian Brooks, John Howitt and Nev Bagnall.

Our pemises officer Will Cain has worked with the tradesmen a lot.

Barbara his wife, our treasurer, keeping an eye on the money we’ve got.

Thanks to everyone who’s fund raised and helped in any way

To all the dedicated leaders who put in hours without pay.

At last we’ve achieved our goal. Yes, I think that we have won.

Now we have a Scout and Guide Centre to be proud of for generations to come.

Jill Bagnall  Nov.14th 2009

The cake was excxellent.