LOCAL sea scouts finally have a new home after seven years of work, sweat and tears.

The River Teign Sea Scouts 1st Shaldon are celebrating with an official opening of the £100,000-plus building tomorrow afternoon at the upper Ness car park.

It means that all four sections will be under one roof – beavers, cubs, scouts and explorer scouts, and chairman Richard Dorey said ‘the whole group is ecstatic’.

The unit has more than 100 children, and more than 35 adult helpers and leaders, which makes it one of the biggest and most quickly growing units in Teignbridge.

Part of their success is said to be the phenomenal arena in which they undertake activities, stretching from rivers to moors.

The group has grown from humble beginnings with 12 children aged six to eight, starting the beaver colony and being looked after by the group’s first section leader, Tulla Nussbaum in September 2008, and going from strength to strength.

Sam Scollick took over from Tulla, and now runs the beaver colony.

The cub section with children aged eight to ten, was run briefly by Simeon Benson, who handed the reins of that section to Adrian Whatty, who has become a backbone of the group.

His wife Michelle then started the scout section, and with much support from many of the children’s parents, it has grown into a dynamic and extremely exciting environment for the children to learn and develop in.

She recently stood down because of work pressures, to be succeeded by Paula Bayliss.

Andrew Dorey who has been with the group for three years, and started out as an assistant scout leader, has started an explorer section for children aged 141/2 through to 16. He has opened up the outdoor activities, with the section taking a big active role in the Ten Tors event, and training the young people to be independent and adventurous with all they do.

He has also taken on the role of group scout leader, and is in charge of the whole group and all its sections and activities.

Megan Isaac, the funding officer, said none of the water-based activities would have been possible without David Bayliss, the Shaldon ferryman, who is the RYA senior sailing instructor, and attended every single section session for six years.

She said:?‘We have undertaken some amazing water activities with the Teign Corinthian Yacht Club in a fleet of sailing dinghies, kayaks and Canadian canoes, supplied from many different funding applications.

‘Each cub and explorer scout – over 75 – is a member of the yacht club, who we have forged ever-closer links with. We have found the club, in particular Ray Potter and Peter Hearne, nothing but supportive in all of our activities, from regular sailing, holding our summer regatta, and even providing a great venue for our group Christmas party. The future looks very bright indeed.’

She added: ‘A big thank you is deserved for Andy Cook of Ease DS Ltd, who donated the building which provided the catalyst to the project, and to Ben Miles, now a skills instructor and the original group scout leader, who put a tremendous amount of effort into the whole project, including securing £105,000 of funding through Viridor Environmental Waste Management.

‘Great thanks are also due to the perseverance of Andy Dorey for managing the build.

‘We are also grateful to all of the parents of the children in the group, Shaldon Parish Council, Teignbridge Council, local businesses and residents, for all their time and effort in making this happen.’

The opening ceremony starts at 2pm with the cutting of the ribbon, the flag break and blessing, followed by a presentation from all sections on who they are, and what they do.

The event will be rounded off by fun, games and entertainment, with a barbecue, teas, cake and refreshments.