Due to water ingress into the storage hut for the Girl Guides in Great Ayton, some of their tents were damaged beyond repair, thus preventing the Guides attending local and national Jamborees.

Ayton Lodge had already given financial assistance towards the repair of the hut roof, and when the extent of the damage to the tents was realized, the lodge donated £375 towards the purchase of replacement tents. But, realizing the need for further financial funding, the Lodge petitioned the Freemasons Charity Yorkshire North & East Ridings (FCYNER). They not only donated £350, but were able to access a further £725 from the central Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) in London, as part of their Wellbeing Initiative.

With the £1,450 funding received from Local, Regional, and Central Masonic sources, the Girl Guides in Ayton have purchased three replacement Patrol Tents, one Mess tent, sixteen folding camping stools and two cool boxes.

They also received funding from the Trefoild Guild ( Girl Guiding Support Group) to purchase a further Mess tent, and two folding tables.

The Guides (and one Brownie in the Yellow Tabard) demonstrated some of this equipment on the High Green in Great Ayton on Sunday 10th July in front of the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire (Mrs Jo Ropner: main picture, third from left) who is also an ambassador for Girl Guiding.

The Lord Lieutenant thanked the Master of Ayton Lodge, Tony Dawson, and assured him that the 83 girls in Great Ayton District Guiding would make full use of all of the equipment when they attend local and national Jamborees.