EH Smith helps transform Harborne Scout Hut

Birmingham builders merchants EH Smith answered a call from local Free Radio breakfast presenters Foxy & Giuliano to help the Scout Hut in Harborne, Birmingham which was in desperate need of a makeover.

The hut was described by Assistant Scout Leader Tom Mcardle as “falling apart” with damp, doors hanging off the cupboards in the kitchen, worn flooring and an unusable sloping piece of ground among its many problems. The building is used by the whole community, including Scout troops and toddler groups.

EH Smith supplied a brand new kitchen, paint, damp proofing materials, fencing and concrete from their Shirley and newly opened Northfield Road branch in Harborne and rallied more help and volunteers from amongst their customers. Many of the scouts who use the hut also came along to help decorate the building.

It took a week, during which time the team dealt with the damp problem, extended the children’s external play area, installed a new kitchen, fitted new storage cupboards, doors, erected new fencing and completely redecorated the hall. New blinds were supplied and fitted by Reynolds Blinds.

The new hut was officially reopened in front of the local community, scouts and toddler group by Assistant County Commissioner for Development Simon Cardall and Chairman of Rea Valley Scout District Roger Morcom.

EH Smith sales director Darren Moles said: “This has been a fantastic experience. We’ve been made to feel very welcome by the Harborne community since we opened five months ago, so this has enabled us to give something back to them, by helping to renovate a building which is an important and much loved hub for local people.”

Mcardle said: “We would like to thank Free Radio, EH Smith and their customers for all of their hard work and generous support. They’ve been brilliant. They have completely transformed the hut and outside areas. We run the hut through financial donations and so we simply couldn’t have done this without their help.”