Dear Rt Revd Libby Lane
1st Shelton Lock Scout and Guide Group Headquarters (known locally as The hut)
As you may be aware St Edmunds Church at Shelton Lock is experiencing financial difficulties and may struggle to keep going in the future. This is a sad state of affairs for the PCC to deal with but our concern is what will happen to our wonderful hut. We are a charity who own the hut but rent the land it stands on from St Edmunds. To ensure we can survive, I am wondering if you would consider selling the land to us. The hut (HQ) has been on the site since 1962 and we have been a good tenant throughout this time. Bringing local children and adults together.
The hut is well used and we have over 130 children from the local area joining in the weekly activities. All the units (guides, scouts, rainbows, brownies, beavers and cubs) provide links to the community. In the past the groups have also attended services at St Edmunds. A very valuable asset as I am sure you will agree.
As the church finances are uncertain, the hut executive committee would like to buy the land, instead of, renewing the land lease that the hut stands on. We are a small local charity with limited resources. However, to secure the future of guiding and scouting in the Shelton Lock area we felt buying the land is the best option. We hope you can look favourably on this request?
I would like to take this opportunity to extend an open invitation to you, to visit the BP hut to see the good work for yourself.
Yours sincerely
Sue Baker
Chair of 1st Shelton Lock Scout and Guide Group