Gainsborough groups aimed at young people get funding boost from councillor

The 6th Gainsborough Sea Scouts, 203 Gainsborough Sqn RAF Air Cadets, and Gainsborough Rugby Club’s Mini Wasps, have each received £1,000 thanks to donations from Coun Jessie Milne.

The money comes from Coun Milne’s Councillor Initiative Fund, which provides financial support for a wide range of community projects and activities.

The Mini Wasps are the junior arm of Gainsborough Rugby Club and train at The Venue ground in Gainsborough, every Thursday evening.

Nathan Mitchell, director of Junior Rugby at the club, said: “They’re just now training to learn how to tackle, and we need some training aids to get them used to doing this and at the same time make it safe for them.”

The equipment includes tackle bags, shields, and crash mats, which the team will use to practise the safe tackling during training.

Jonathan Swatton, group scout leader at 6th Gainsborough Sea Scouts, is using the funding to purchase tarpaulin and special hammocks, which the group will use for shelter on expeditions.

He said: “We’ll be able to use this equipment when we get out to places in Derbyshire and areas like The Wolds.

"The youngsters really get involved in the planning of these expeditions, helping to decide where we go.”

And Flight Lieutenant Lee Chapman, of the Gainsborough Air Cadets, said the £1,000 will go towards their fundraising efforts to buy a new minibus to replace the one stolen in February last year.

He said: “Transport allows us to get young people out to activities that may not otherwise be available to them.”

The Air Cadets fundraise regularly, taking part in community events and organising bag packing at supermarkets.

Coun Milne said “The people that run these groups and organisations give up so much of their time to provide these opportunities for youngsters, so it was good to be able to support them.”