£120,000 funding for Wantage Scouts

Published 4 November 2026

Scouts in Wantage have been a given a funding boost thanks to a grant from Vale of White Horse District Council. 

The council recently awarded the Wantage Scout Group £50,396 from developer contributions (S106) so that they can complete the second phase of their improvement project for their headquarters in the town. This funding will help them to expand and refurbish the kitchen area of their building, providing the scouts with facilities where they can learn essential life skills including cooking and preparing healthy meals. 

Cllr Mark Coleman, Cabinet Member for Finance at Vale of White Horse District Council said: “I’m really pleased that we have been able to offer on-going support to the Wantage Scout Group to improve their headquarters and facilities. This is exactly what developer contributions are for, and what better way to use it than to help the younger people in our district who are the future of the area.” 

Steve Houseman, Group Lead Volunteer for Wantage Scout Group said: “We really appreciate the funding provided through the District Council. This investment has already transformed our meeting space, and with Phase 2 now secured, we can offer even more practical opportunities—like cooking classes—for our youngsters. We are extremely thankful to the wonderful people at the District Council for their ongoing support and dedication to our community.” 

This latest funding follows the award of £73,180 from the same contribution earlier this year which enabled the Scouts to complete Phase 1 of their improvement works, where they revamped the group’s main Troop Room, replacing an old, outdated heating system, installed a new external access door, replaced rotten internal cladding and single glazed windows, and insulated the space to ensure it is warm and energy-efficient for future generations of local scouts.  

In total Vale of White Horse District Council has awarded £123,576 for this project with developer contributions (S106) coming from the Crab Hill development in Wantage.  

Phase 2 of the work on the headquarters is expected to start in the coming weeks.