By MIKE THOMPSON

President, Kidderminster &

District Scout Council

ON behalf of Kidder-minster and District Scout Council and the Rhydd Covert team I would like to thank all those businesses and individuals who have contributed funds and materials to assist with the building of our new activity centre at Rhydd Covert.

It has been a wonderful effort by the community, businesses and charitable organisations in Wyre Forest and surrounding areas.

The appeal has been most successful and the aim has now been realised with the completion of the new building at our campsite.

The building will be an excellent centre for Scouting in the Midlands area and further afield.

Without the very great assistance of the Shuttle/Times & News this project would not have been realised.

Again, if we had not had the very considerable donations and help with materials, we would not have been able to carry out the project at all.

The general public has responded so generously to our appeal and there have been many individual donations, all of which were most welcome.

It would not be possible here to list all the individual contributors but I do assure all those who gave to the appeal that their gifts are greatly appreciated and remembered.

I would like to take this opportunity, however, of mentioning some of our benefactors.

Kidderminster Youth Trust's first donation gave a fresh impetus to the appeal last autumn and allowed us to enter into Phase 2 of the building works. Then the trust followed up with a further contribution which helped round off the appeal last month.

Other substantial donations came from West Midland Safari, Kidderminster Horticultural Society, Kidderminster Carnival, Val Blount and the Rotary clubs of Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourport.

Additionally, we are grateful to Bewdley Rotary Club for supplying valuable contacts which proved most beneficial.

We were greatly helped with the construction works by our supervising architect, David Trewin, of David Trewin Associates of Hagley, and by Grace Plant who was our project manager. We are indebted to our builders, Pondstart Limited, of Bewdley, for the excellent job they have carried out.

The steering group consisting of Mark Woodward (Rhydd Covert warden), Clive Joyce ( Shuttle Times & News editor), Grace Plant and David Denton (District Scouts Commissioner) have been extremely proactive and have carried out a magnificent job with Operation Covert. We are also indebted to the Rhydd Team and to the Scouts District Executive who have provided assistance and funds following the sale of the John Stretton Memorial Hall.

In conclusion Operation Covert has been wildly successful as a result of the generosity of the local community, trusts and businesses who have reacted spontaneously and enthusiastically to the appeal, following the attack on the old nissen hut by vandals.

The new building will be a true testament to this local support which we appreciate so much.

Many of our contributors have fond memories of the campsite and we are sure that the new activity centre will be a tremendous asset to the site in the future.

Many thanks for all your support.