Over the years, countless young people from the Congleton area have enjoyed the outdoor facilities at Barnswood Scout Camp, near Rushton Spencer. In fact, the camp attracts around 5,000 visits from youngsters from Congleton in a year.
Recently, the Scouts approached the Rotary Club of Congleton with a plea to help them purchase a ride-on mower to keep the grassed areas of their 63-acre site tidy.
The Rotary Club chipped in with £2,000, and with support from other Congleton trusts, including the Town, Youth and Enclosures Trusts, as well as Scouting’s own Leslie Sell Trust, and with some Rotary help locating a supplier, they were able to complete the purchase.
The new machine has arrived, and an unexpected bonus is that the mower works wonders, doubling as a leaf blower, clearing the 19 individual campsites of fallen leaves from the adjoining woodlands.
Until the purchase, the site employed the services of a contractor to keep the grass cut. Now, the money saved can be used directly to support the facilities for visiting groups.
Chief warden Mark Eden said: “This support makes a significant difference to the running of our campsite. The mower enables the campsite to keep the grass in great condition, to be enjoyed by the groups visiting from Congleton.”
Safety manager Geoff Smith said he was “blown away” by the generosity of Congleton organisations, and their commitment to supporting the Scouts and other groups of young people.
With more than 60 acres of woodland, 19 camping fields, and activity areas to maintain, a reliable ride-on mower is essential in keeping the site safe and tidy, he said.
Barnswood Scout Camp covers 63 acres of woodland and is located between Macclesfield and Leek, near Rushton Spencer. It has 19 camp sites of a variety of sizes, from accommodating 18 campers to 150 on the largest site. It can be used for a variety of types of camps from DoE Expedition hikes to patrol camps, group camps and whole district events.
It was officially opened on 21st May 1964, as a permanent campsite for the Macclesfield and Congleton Scout District. It was gifted to the Scouts by a benefactor.
(Photo: John Gauld).
