YOUNG Southampton Scouts will be able to enjoy camping with new equipment thanks to almost £3,000 in grant funding by the owners of the Southern Daily Echo. 

The 23rd Itchen North Scouts were thrilled to accept the cheque for £2,960. The money will mean they can replace their old tents that are on their last legs.

Darren Munday, group Scout leader, said: “It is brilliant, it is going to get the kids a chance to go camping. 

“The tents we had were inherited by me three years ago and they are on their last legs. We now have the opportunity to take more kids away in better facilities.

“We are planning to take them to north Wales for seven days where they will be able to trampoline in caves, go horse riding and rafting. 

“We will really benefit from this money – we will be able to take scouts, cubs and beavers out together, the beavers normally miss out because we don’t have enough tents. The smaller tents will also allow then to go hiking – we now have the right equipment.”

The funding comes courtesy of the Gannett Foundation which is the parent company of Newsquest, the owners of the Daily Echo, Andover Advertiser and other newspapers in the UK. 

Applications were made to the Daily Echo as well as other areas served by Newsquest’s 165 news brands. Gannett, which owns the media group, is the largest news publisher in the US.

In 2015, grants and matching gifts totalled almost £3.6 million, focusing on grass-roots community programs, educational efforts and projects supporting young people and families.

Editor of the Southern Daily Echo, Ian Murray, said: “I am delighted that through the Gannett Foundation we are able to help such worthy causes.

“Each year the foundation makes available tens of thousands of pounds for truly local community based good causes and this is just part of how your local newspaper continues to support your community.” 

Over the last 10 years alone, the fund has given away more than £3million to help community causes from Scotland to the West Country. 

The grants are made once a year when the trustees meet in November with promotions starting in Newsquest’s regional newspapers from July onwards.