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SCOUTS and guides at Haverhill are in desperate need of help after heavy rain caused the ceiling of their hut to collapse.
The scout an Guide group is preparing its fourth Lottery bid for £390,000 to replace its dilapidated Colne Valley Road HQ, having raised £27,000 itself.
Even if the Lottery funding was granted immediately, a new building would be at least a year away and the group needs help now to keep going.
It is appealing to businesses for help in providing a steel-framed portable building to use until its new headquarters are built.
If the new HQ is built, the temporary building would be used for storage.
Between 250 to 300 youngsters belonging to 13 units ranging from Rainbows and Cubs to Sea Scouts, use the headquarters each week.
At present the group is having difficulty fitting them all in and some are having to change the night they meet. The main building is now felt to be beyond economical repair and unsafe to use.
"People have given us money for the new headquarters and we do not feel it is ethically right to use that for another portacabin," said chairman Sue Dickinson.
"If we have to keep paying for repairs we are throwing good money after bad.
"We are putting out an appeal in the town to find out if an individual or business has a portable building which they no longer have a use for they would consider giving to the Scout and Guide Associations."
The group has also lost its venue for fund-raising in the run-up to Christmas and several activities have had to be cancelled.
Anyone who can help should contact Sue Dickinson on (01440) 707550.

Picture caption: Homeless . . . Sea Scout Edward Dickinson at the HQ which was damaged by heavy rain.