Vale of White Horse District Council has awarded Wantage Scout Group £50,396 to fund the second phase of improvements to its headquarters in Wantage. The council announced the grant on 4 November 2026.
The money will be used to expand and refurbish the group’s kitchen, so that young people can learn life skills such as cooking and preparing healthy meals. The council says work on this phase is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
The first phase was funded by an earlier award of £73,180. It renovated the main Troop Room, replacing an outdated heating system, installing a new external access door, replacing rotten internal cladding and single-glazed windows, and adding insulation. Together the two awards come to £123,576 for the project.
All of the funding comes from section 106 developer contributions linked to the Crab Hill development in Wantage.
Steve Houseman, the group’s Group Lead Volunteer, thanked the council and said the first phase had “transformed our meeting space”. He said the second phase would allow more practical activities, such as cooking classes. Cllr Mark Coleman, the council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, said developer contributions are intended for this kind of use.
Read more in the district council’s announcement.
