The Weymouth West Air Scout Group (WWASG) has been awarded an £873,000 grant for a brand new building.

Work on the site at Granby Close - which the scout group has occupied for the last 47 years - has already started. The previous building has been demolished and the new one should open its doors to young people by Christmas 2024.

The new building will be substantially larger than the previous structure, including a larger main hall with full toilet and shower facilities for disabled members and visitors, breakout spaces, storage, kitchen and office spaces. It will also be more environmentally friendly with solar panels, battery storage, heat pumps and high levels of insulation.

READ MORE: New HQ planned for Weymouth Scouts as numbers grow

Gary Clothier Group Lead Volunteer said “Scouting remains valued within our community giving children and young people skills for life within our progressive training scheme. The new building will provide a safe environment for these activities to be delivered in ways to support all abilities."

Young people supported by the WWASG came up with design ideas for the new building - some more practical than others. As the design was coming together youth members were consulted and made further suggestions which have been incorporated. They were particularly interested in making the building as 'green' as possible.

A young member of the troop said “We enjoy the activities we can carry out as part of scouting. The new building will allow more children to take part and provide better facilities to allow even greater inclusion, something we believe is important”.

The scout group is currently operating from several locations across the area while the new building is completed.

WWASG is one of 140 youth centres in England to benefit from a Youth Investment Fund grant, announced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the charity Social Investment Business, which is delivering the grant programme in partnership with Key Fund, National Youth Agency and Resonance.

The Youth Investment Fund, of over £300 million, aims to build, renovate, or extend youth services in the parts of the country where new spaces and new opportunities are most needed. The Youth Investment Fund grants announced today are worth over £90 million.

Welcoming the grant, John Naylor, Chair of Trustees said “This funding will allow the group to improve its current offer to youth members and give certainty of continuity of scouting in this location for decades to come. Our dedicated team of volunteers are looking forward to welcoming generations of young people into our new building”.

The WWASG recognises the particular contribution of Dean Roper Architectural Services, Holloway Contracting Ltd and Roger Locke Consulting, along with many others.