Part of Ayton Lodge's approach to its community engagement programme, is that it is not all about presenting an oversized cheque. This was illustrated when the district Commissioner for Girlguiding Great Ayton district recently contacted the Lodge Charity Steward to advise him that free-standing garage where they store outdoor equipment, including the £1,450 worth of tents recently purchased with Masonic funding used by Rainbows, Brownies and Guides was in a poor condition and they were concerned that rain would enter the building again. Also, the storage shelving was rotten at the bottom, the roof guttering was in poor repair (it was actually lying on the ground) and daylight could be seen through a gap between the wall and roof. Furthermore, the up-and-over door often jammed, thus preventing them accessing the equipment when needed.

Ayton Lodge was able to access its emergency funding and arranged for the garage roof to be swept clean, the area of loose roofing fixed, the guttering reinstalled, and the area between the roof and the walls was sealed with foam. Also, the garage door was washed down with mould/antifungal solution, then realigned, adjusted and the runners greased. And finally, the shelving that was rotten were replaced and the weeds and creeping ivy around the building were cleared away.

The Charity Steward of Ayton Lodge, Andrew Watson, is on the left of the picture, with the Master of Ayton Lodge, Chris Hall, on the right. Accompanying the District Commissioner, Rebecca Storey are a few of the 90 Rainbows, Brownies and Guides who use these facilities.