Rainford is a beautiful village close to the town of St Helens, Merseyside and has a thriving girl guide group with a hall in the centre of the village, although the hall is a good facility, the kitchens had become shabby, dated, and unsuitable for use.
An application was made to the West Lancs Mark Charities by Dave Burgess, Deputy Charity Representative for the Tuscan Group. This application resulted in the very generous donation of £4,000 from the Mark Charities for the funding of a refurbishment of the kitchen facilities. Once work had started it soon became apparent that more needed to be done to make the building suitable as it was found that the walls and ceiling needed urgent remedial attention. The West Lancs Craft Charities came to the rescue with another donation of nearly £3,700 and the work was able to go ahead. The ceiling was fireproofed and the walls repaired and re-plastered. The work surfaces and storage facilities were replaced.
Some new appliances were installed and the kitchen redecorated. These improvements not only benefit the Guides themselves, but mean that the hall can now be used by other local groups and organisations. One of the first to use the newly refurbished facilities being the Rainford Careers Association. The new kitchen has also resulted in a desire to update the rest of the hall and at the time of our visit the main room had been newly painted and looked splendid. Several Guides, Brownies, and Rainbows were busy cooking in the new kitchen when the visitors arrived.
Present on the day were Mark Provincial Grand Master, Peter Connolly, Mark Provincial Charity, Steward Brian Molyneux, Dave Burgess, St Helens and Prescot Group Secretary, Colin Rowling, and Group Chairman, Lionel Gornall. They were also pleased to greet Elizabeth Holden whose late husband Don Holden was instrumental in setting up the West Lancs Mark Charities.
Brian Molyneux |
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Peter Connolly discusses the Royal wedding with Two Rainbows
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