Sid Vale Explorer Scouts raise �680 aiding Waitrose Christmas parkers

SIDMOUTH Waitrose branch manager Mark Shepherd hailed the efforts of 1st Sid Vale Explorer Scouts as “fantastic” after they “took control” of the Stowford Rise store’s car park at its busiest time of the year.

With queues of cars there in the pre-Christmas rush, parking could have been a major problem.

But for three days, the older scouts helped ease the flow, using radios to let one another know when parking spaces became available.

Between six and 10 scouts ran the parking from 10am to 4pm and to noon on Christmas Eve.

One, Rachael Hill, said: “People were queuing up along the roadside and in the car park and no-one could move.”

Blue badge holders were given help to find disabled spaces and scouts had collection buckets at the door and raised �680 towards building their new headquarters off Salcombe Hill, which have been given planning permission.

“We are so excited and we have so much money to raise, it is like a dream,” said Rachael.

Mr Shepherd said: “They were superb. They did the best job ever in the car park. Normally I need to get involved in some shape or form, but not this year. The scouts did an outstanding job, well done to them.”