A SCOUTING community is celebrating the opening of a £135,000 multi-activity centre at the home of the 1st Poulner Scouts after five years in the making.

Work has been completed on the new centre in Southampton Road, which incorporates a climbing wall, indoor archery and space for rifle shooting. The state-of-the-art climbing wall was opened on Friday.

Group Scout leader Colin Andrews said the centre will benefit the whole community and not just the Scout group, which has a membership of 200. It will be run as a stand-alone community space on a self-funding basis and not-for-profit, with the help of trained volunteer staff.

The project was given a kick start with a £50,000 grant from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), with the remainder raised by the Scouts. The Veolia Environmental Trust also awarded a grant of £18,240 through the Landfill Communities Fund.

And over the last five years the Scouts have been on a fundraising mission, holding events such as bag packing, auctions, quiz nights, social and sports events to raise the funds needed to see the scheme come to life.

Mr Andrews said the idea was conceived about eight years ago, after £5,000 was bequeathed to the group.

He said: “The local community have been just fantastic. The businesses have helped probably about 20 or 30 times in sponsorship and signs.”

Scout group chairman Rob Allardyce said: “It is a great addition to the options that young people, in particular, have in Ringwood and surrounding area.”

Executive director of the Veolia Environmental Trust, Paul Taylor, added: “I hope this excellent and innovative facility is used and enjoyed for many years to come.”