A CLUTCH of community groups from across the borough have been given an early Christmas present after receiving a share of �2m to do up their headquarters.

The 1st Caister Scout group, TS Warrior naval cadet corps, Seachange Arts and Winterton Cricket Club have all been given a chunk of county council cash to bring their premises up to scratch.

All four groups had applied for the much-needed money through Norfolk County Council’s Community Construction Fund and were over the moon after being chosen to benefit from the scheme.

Lisa Garrod, Scout leader at Caister, said the �48,740 the group had been awarded would help bring its dilapidated hut into the 21st century and finish a project that was started more than 20 years ago.

In 1991 enough money was raised to build a breeze block shell for the scouts, which was clad in second hand wood, with plans to improve on the structure once more money was raised.

Youngsters have been working tirelessly ever since to raise the cash to makeover the windowless hut and with the council cash they can now carry out the much needed overhaul.

Lisa said: “This money will do everything. We’re going to put windows in, doors out to the garden, new fencing, disabled access and plaster the inside so it’s going to absolutely transform it.

“We’re just carrying on from the good work 21 years ago and what they started.”

The scouts, who have been fundraising through various ways including litter picks and supermarket bag packs, were told the good news this week.

Another set of youngsters over the moon with the cash injection is cadets from TS Warrior, which has been awarded a whopping �93,000 to completely overhaul the group’s “rotten” HQ in Cobholm.

Chairman Duncan Boyne said the five figure sum would bring the base up to scratch and secure the future of TS Warrior.

“We’re going to replace the whole of the outside with new windows, new walls and central heating, which we’ve never had,” he added. “The building we’ve got at the moment you can push your fingers through it’s that bad, so this is a God send to us.

“We got told a lot of people applied and we didn’t think we were going to get it so it was a really nice surprise.”

Duncan said work to overhaul the base would begin as soon as possible but the building would be kept open so cadets could continue to train.

Winterton Cricket Club will be using its cheque for �4,625 to build a pavilion that will provide new facilities.

County councillor Jim Shrimplin supported the club’s application and said he was “delighted” that it had been picked as a beneficiary.

He added: “The new pavilion with its modern facilities will be a great asset to the club and to any of the village organisations that wish to use it.”

Seachange Arts, based at Great Yarmouth’s Drill House, received �94,072 to make improvements to the distinctive building both inside and out.

Joe Mackintosh, chief executive, said it was “absolutely fantastic” that Seachange had been awarded the cash, which will now fund “desperately needed” improvements to the building’s heating, electrics, security and accessibility that will in turn help to expand the group’s range of activities.

A further 37 groups from across the county have also received a slice of cash from the construction fund, which has been hailed a huge success.