A local Girlguiding group is on track to reach its £1.7 million goal to fund the renovations of its new centre.

North Yorkshire West Girlguiding has raised and spent nearly £1.2 million since the fundraising began in 2019, when the old site was demolished. Since then, fundraising efforts have included cake stalls, virtual balloon races, and live performances.

The Birk Crag Centre, on Cornwall Road in Harrogate, will be home to Harrogate’s Girlguiding division, but will be accessible to all groups in the North Yorkshire West area – including Ripon, Boroughbridge, Skipton, and Settle.

The space will host Guide sleepovers, as well as overnight stays for Brownie and Rainbow groups, and will also offer residential training for volunteers.

Outdoor and camping equipment will also be stored at the premises, as well as a uniform and badge shop.

Caroline Bentham, Guide guider and assistant county commissioner, said:

“One of the most important parts of Guiding is giving girls the chance to have a sleepover away from home that is affordable.

“Guiders are all volunteers and give their time for free, this means we can keep the costs down.

“There is nothing better than seeing a nervous young lady arrive at a sleepover and watch her come into her own, even if it is as the noisy one after lights out!”

Mrs Bentham explained the “pandemic affected us like many other charities” and claims the delay in raising the money is due to “jobs priced at £20,000 now cost us £60,000”. The Girlguiding group has also applied for various grants to help raise the money.

Read more:

• Commercial Street shops unite to sweeten Christmas for struggling families
• Harrogate to host new fundraising walk to fight dementia

Around a further £500,000 is required to complete all building work and renovations.

The next fundraising event will take place at Studley Royal. The Ripon Girlguiding division will hold a sponsored walk, during which they will push a 5ft cable drum around the grounds to represent the £6,000 required for electrical cabling at the new building.

The walk will take place on June, 19 and 20.

To find out more about sponsorship of events or to help the fundraising efforts, visit the Birk Crag Centre website.

The Girl Guides Association has resumed fundraising for its new site at Birk Crag with a series of forthcoming events.

The foundations of the building have been ready for several months, but funds were short to fit out the inside, and fundraising had to be paused due to the national lockdown.

So far more than £1.5 million has been invested into the site, with £400,000 left to be raised for its completion.

The ambitious site will be open to the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers for weekly meetings and residential trips for members nationwide.

It will have a meeting hall, kitchen and dining room, a campfire area and a residential accommodation to fit 40.

It replaces the old centre in the same spot, which had become dilapidated.

Read more

• Family of ducks become classmates for Ripley School youngsters
• Harrogate Town coach launches football boots appeal for kids in need

Members of the Girlguiding association have been working hard to raise the last stretch of the money needed, including setting up a bake sale on the first Saturday of every month (excluding August).

On Saturday July 3 there will be a fundraising fete at Burley Avenue Community Centre hosting stalls from The Body Shop, Painting Pots Knaresborough and others, which will all be donating a percentage of profits towards the site.

The sale will also include a raffle, refreshments and a cake stall.

Sam Jennings, division commissioner for the group, said;

“The project has gone on a long time and now we can see a finish point it is getting exciting; everyone just wants to get it finished.”

People can also leave individual donations here.

Restoration of the Birk Crag Centre for Girlguiding on the edge of Harrogate has been halted due to a lack of funds.

Girlguiding North Yorkshire West began rebuilding the centre in 2018 thanks to grants and crowdfunding.

The group raised £1.1 million for the exterior of the building, which was completed last year.

The Birk Crag Centre for Girlguiding in Harrogate.

Now, county commissioner for Girlguiding North Yorkshire West, Jean Tennant, hopes to raise a further £400,000 to complete the interior.

The guides have applied for more grants but many grantmakers have diverted funds to organisations affected by covid.

Girlguiding fundraising activity has also been affected by covid. Jean said:

“Covid has hit charity work hard, we can’t do bake sales or active fundraising.

“Most grants are given to covid relief charities, which is more than understandable but we do need more money to finish this project.”

The new centre will include a residential area for girl guides and community groups, including cyclists, church goers and orienteering groups.

The building will also provide an activity arena with a capacity of 120 people and a large commercial kitchen.

Read more:

• District girlguides launch fundraiser to save residential centre
• Stump Cross increases fundraising target to £65,000

The guides will be able to meet at temporary centres from March 29 but there is no date for the opening of the restored Birk Crag Centre until funds are found to fit out the interior.

Jean said Girlguiding North Yorkshire West was grateful for the funding it has received from organisations, such as the Bramall Foundation, the Rotary Club of Harrogate and everyone who had helped to fundraise.

Crowdfunding on its JustGiving page continues.