EAGER scouts in Pershore will be able to work towards extra badges when their new hut is built, but they still need some help to reach their fundraising target.

The 1st Pershore Scout Group has been working hard to raise £55,000 for the new hut, which will be the first since floods destroyed the previous one 14 years ago.

So far they have raised £31,813, including £1,715 through an appeal in the Journal that led to anonymous donations and the campaign being selected as the recipients of the ASDA collection token in February.

Hayley Tomkins, volunteer secretary, said: "Thanks to the Evesham Journal's very kind publicity we won the Asda token collection in February.

"We were presented with £100 cheque this week by staff for our ongoing scout hut appeal."

But with building work set to begin in June and be completed by the end of August the troop still need some help.

"We have now signed the lease with Pershore College and are ready to get started at the end of June," she added. "Overall we as a committee are excited about the new Scout Hut and can't wait to undertake the work needed to be able to have our own home.

"We have been given three portacabins by Pershore College to renovate in to our new scout hut. The first two cabins will become one main hall with a partition in the middle in case we have two groups up their at the same time.

"The third portacabin will become toilets and showers for able bodied and disabled to enable us to be able to host camps on the field behind the hut and have the facilities needed to be able to do this.

"Having our own scout hut will mean that our groups have a home. We will also have a kitchen and a hall so our children will be able to gain extra badges that at the moment we cannot do as we just don't have the correct facilities to be able to achieve these in a safe and secure environment."

To support the campaign call Hayley Tomkins on 07904763680 or email hayley.tomkins@btinternet.com. Cheques should be made payable to the 1st Pershore Scout Group.