Powering up at 1st Camden Scout Group
Published Mon 06 May 2024
After a difficult few years, 1st Camden Scout Group is back on the way up, using several grants to improve life in and around the Scout hall.
The Group lost nearly all its camping and outdoor gear in the many floods in Camden during 2021/22. Thanks to a $7000 grant from Camden Council, the Group was able to replace their gear, allowing them to participate in Cuboree 2023, pre-Cuboree camps and other outdoor activities with new and fit-for-purpose equipment.
Scouts and Cub Scouts from the Group also used the equipment on a camp across the Easter weekend in Gosford as a qualifying camp for Jamboree 2025.
Grants and Fundraising Coordinator Joy Becker said the Group had also received a $5000 grant from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice for new CCTV installation to improve safety and reduce theft and vandalism around the Scout hall.
She said the Group also received a $10,000 Powering Communities grant from Endeavour Energy for solar panel installation and upgrades to their lights to be more sustainable.
“We had a 6.6kW system with 14 panels installed, plus an upgrade to the lighting at the hall to be low-energy LEDs,” she said.
“It is estimated to save us $1200 per year on our power bills, which will bring our bills down to about $300 per year. It will save 3100kg of coal being burnt each year!
“It also means we can open our hall up for casual bookings for day hire, as we are not as worried about power bills. I would encourage other Scout Groups to look at what grants they are eligible for.”
An Endeavour Energy post on Facebook said they were pleased to support the project for 1st Camden Scout Group.
“We’re powering a brighter future for 1st Camden Scout Group by helping them reduce their carbon footprint and allow greater use of their facilities by their local community. We’re pleased to support this project as it aligns with our own net zero targets and could not have been delivered without our support.”
