Incredible fundraising efforts future-proofs Angus Scout hut

After a 15-month long wait, Tannadice Scout Group is finally back home and ready for the future.

The group’s Scout hut suffered extensive damage after storm Babet invited herself in bringing 18 inches of floodwater. Since October 2023 the Tannadice Scouts have fundraised to make sure they won’t be without their home again.

“The insurance covered the cost to put it back to as it was, which was over £100,000, but if we did that and the flood came again – which it will – it would be the same situation again,” said Group Lead Volunteer David Whitton.

“We really wanted to belt and brace it, and put flood defences in, and it was an additional £35,000 to do those types of things.”

Incredible fundraising efforts

It’s not the first time the Tannadice Scouts have dealt with flooding. The group has been Scouting on the land by river South Esk and the Jock Neish Scouting Centre since 1913. David himself joined the group as a Cub in 2000, when the hut was just three years old. In 2003, 2015 and 2022, the Scouts came together to clean up the hut after floods, but what they saw in 2023 was unlike anything they’ve dealt with before.

Volunteers and young people stepped up, like superheroes in neckers, and got to work. Doing afternoon teas, whisky tastings, quiz nights and Kiltwalks raised £6,500. Local businesses and charities contributed with grants, and the community gave £1,660 through GoFundMe. But what really made the difference for the group was being in the right place at the right time.

“Our treasurer owns a coffee shop, someone came in and saw our whisky tasting poster and started asking about it,” David explained.

“She said it’s for the group she’s involved in and that we’re trying to raise £35,000.”

“The guy came back into the coffee shop a week later, and goes ‘don’t worry about it, £35,000 will be in your account by the end of July’.”

“We didn’t believe it until the money was in the account, it was too good to be true.”

“We’ve been blown away by the generosity of strangers.”

It feels like coming home

With the incredible £35,000 donation from the Nicoll Trust, Tannadice Scouts raised a whopping £61,000. The money has gone towards future-proofing their hut, including a new kitchen with multi-height surfaces, an insulated loft for storage and upgraded technology.

A graffiti mural showing Scouts gazing to a campsite in a glen adorns the wall, and the hall is ready for young people once again. Explorer Young Leader Ilona said it’s amazing to have the hut back.

“I now have such a big part of my life back after it was taken away so abruptly,” said the 17-year-old.

“It feels like coming home. I’ve been here since I was 10 and it’s such a big part of my life.”

“I’m lucky to be a Tannadice Scout, it feels like a big family. Everyone’s come together to tidy and clean, and we’re so happy to be back.”

Out of bad comes good

Not only has the group weathered the storm, but it’s continued to thrive. Instead of membership dipping, the group continued to grow while Scouting outside the hut. It now supports 74 young people, some of which saw the hut for the first time at the grand opening.

Ilona praises her leaders for continuing to run a great programme while the hut was closed. She looks forward to Scouting both inside and outside their refurbished home.

David added: “Hats off to the leaders, they’ve come together and made sure we could continue to Scout. There’s been positives too, it’s been a fantastic opportunity as much as a heart-breaking hassle.”

“Coming back home means a lot to a lot of people, all our volunteers are ex-Tannadice Scouts, so we’ve got fond memories of the place.

“We’ve taken the leap to take some of the history out of it and modernise it, but it’s an opportunity and we’re excited to be back.”