One thing the coronavirus lockdowns provided many of us with was plenty of spare time.

And volunteers at Hamlet Wood Scout Campsite have certainly used it wisely, spending the past year giving their base, in Stockett Lane, Coxheath, a makeover.

A new £14,000 kitchen was completed last week after several months of hard work.

But now they are appealing for the public’s help to help them net £5,000 in funding so they can replace their 56-year-old loos and revamp the toilet block to include showers.

Jim Martin, 64, who has been involved with Hamlet Wood since it first started, said: “The toilets have been there since it opened in 1965.

“They are still working but they are looking tired.”

The group is bidding to win up to £5,000 as part of a competition run by Calor Gas.

The most popular community projects, supported with the most public votes or donations, will go before a judging panel to earn one of 22 grants.

The campsite, owned by Maidstone Scouts, caters for around 2,000 children every year and is used by beaver, cub and scout groups across the county.

They can stay overnight and take part in hiking, orienteering and bushcraft activities.

Mr Martin said: “We must have thousands of people that have camped there in that period. We thought it would be nice to perhaps try to get them involved.”

He estimates the work to improve the toilets would cost between £10,000 and £15,000. Most of it would be completed by volunteers.

He said: “We have got some money that we can put towards it ourselves but that is taking away from other things.”

The deadline is 5pm next Friday.

To support the campaign, click here.

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