Girls in Reigate and Bandstead given huge boost

Girls and young women in Reigate and Banstead area will soon be able to experience fun, friendship and adventure through Girlguiding in a newly renovated Guide Hall thanks to Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL)’s ‘Big Build’ project.

Salfords Guide Hall, first built in 1953, has given thousands of girls and young women the chance to get involved in their community, grow in confidence, develop skills and enjoy all that guiding has to offer. As time has passed and with much use, the hall needed refurbishment. On the recommendation of Voluntary Action Reigate and Banstead (VARB), local Girlguiding volunteers Ruth Warren, Lesley Bailey, Rosemarie Belcher and Megan Billin submitted the hall for consideration for the ‘Big Build’.

Alongside a generous donation of £2500 from Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council, GAL’s framework partners donated their time, labour and resources to the project during September 2019.

Since the launch of the Gatwick Noise Reduction Scheme in 2009, Anglian Building Products have installed new double-glazed windows and doors into 1,140 homes, and due to this long standing relationship with GAL, ABP agreed to offer products and services to support this community project.

From an initial meeting on the 1st August, to installation on the 10th September, the whole team have done a fantastic job in completing this project in such a short space of time. Special thanks go to Anglian’s Installers, Florin Cojocaru and Florin Foca, and to Contract Manager, Paul Coyne and Site Supervisor Ionut Valentin Sandu for overseeing the project.

As you can see from the images below, the building is now much more aesthetically pleasing. The newly installed products will reduce energy costs and provide a warm, secure place for the Girl Guides and other community groups. 

Ruth Warren, Girlguiding Horley West District Commissioner, commented “Thank you so much for all that Anglian have done for the hall, you really don’t know how much it means to our whole team. This is an incredible opportunity for us. It means that our hall can become a fully functioning part of the community and that Girlguiding will continue in Salfords for many years to come.”

A celebration launch will be held on Monday 11 November to thank all involved parties. The hall will be formally launched to the whole community in the new year with an open day.

Paula Aldridge, Community Engagement Manager at Gatwick Airport, said: “It’s fantastic to see the transformation of the hall. It really is now fit for purpose and will help bring new life to the Girl Guides and the community as a whole”.