Cookham Scouts ask community to pitch in for 'once in a lifetime' chance at campsite

1st Cookham Scouts has asked the community to pitch in and help raise it money for the ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ to buy a campsite in the village.

The group, which supports almost 200 young people aged from 4 to 18-years-old, has been offered a near eight-acre plot of land at White Place Farm in Sutton Road.

But to purchase the land, and give Cookham Scouts its own permanent campsite, it needs to raise £70,000.

Andrew Sutherland, 59, leader at 1st Cookham Scouts said: “We’ve been very lucky and have been very grateful to people who have leant us fields over the years.

“But when we found out the one we’ve been borrowing recently was likely to be going up for sale we just decided it was the right time.

“- To give ourselves long term independence and ensure young people in Cookham have access to these facilities for the future.”

The plot of land at White Place Farm is roughly 50 per cent woodland and 50 per cent open field.

“It’s just perfect for us,” Andrew said. “A woodland means we’ve got firewood, shade and shelter and its just ideal for what we want to do.

“We can do fire lighting in the winter in the bitter cold outside the scout headquarters,” he added.

“But it’s much more exciting and atmospheric to go and do it out in the woods.

“Feeling cut off from civilisation and - although it [White Place Farm] is two three minutes’ drive from Cookham village - it still seems a really cut off, remote and adventurous place.”

Andrew, who has been a leader at 1st Cookham for 30 years, said the troop had long been raising money in the hope land would become available.

It has reserves of around £100,000 which would all be put towards buying and improving the campsite – by adding in a water supply, parking and secure fencing.

The remaining £70,0000 still needs to be sourced through grants and community fundraising. So far, £3,000 has been raised towards this.

“It’s a long-term improvement in the facilities available to young people in Cookham,” said Andrew.

“Realistically if we had to do this all ourselves through our normal fundraising, it could take us through another 5-10 years.  

“But by that stage, would the land still available round here or would it have it all gone to other uses?

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make sure we have a campsite here in Cookham forever.”

To find out more and to donate to the fundraiser visit: tinyurl.com/38we83wf