A TEESDALE Scout troop will be able to bed down under the stars in comfort thanks to a generous donation from the Staindrop branch of County Durham Mark Master Masons.
The cash is to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Durham province of mark master masons – there are now 60 branches.
Nigel Scott, secretary of the Staindrop branch, said £60,000 had been made available from the Provincial Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of Durham with each branch asked to nominate a community cause benefiting young people. Staindrop’s chose the village’s 1st Scout troop. In a ceremony at scout headquarters in Scarth Hall Lane, the worshipful master of the Staindrop lodge, Michael Lambird, handed over a cheque for £1,000.
Scout district commissioner John Moore said the money will help to replace aging tents that he himself purchased more than 31 years ago.
He added: “I bought the marquee back in the 1980s and it was ex-army and second hand. The other tents were also bought in the late eighties and are well past their sell by dates with many of them have holes in them.”
The donation will ensure Scouts from Staindrop will be able to sleep comfortably when they attend the first international camp to be held in County Durham in August. It will take place in Wolsingham.
