THERE were four strands to the strategy of Operation Covert.

PHASE ONE: A public appeal for £80,000 to replace the vandalised building was launched on October 21, 2004 and it was an instant success, passing the £10,000 mark in six weeks. It topped £20,000 by February 17 and another £10,000 was added by July 21.

A donation of £10,000 from Kidderminster & District Youth Trust took it past the £50,000 barrier by October. The target was reached on June 22 this year when the youth trust and West Midland Safari Park donated a further £5,000 each.

An additional £60,000 was pledged by Kidderm-inster & District Scout Council from the sale of John Stretton Memorial Hall to enable the steering group to plan for a bigger and better building.

PHASE TWO: In the early weeks of the appeal, the search began for architectural services in order to work up ideas for the new building. With help from Bewdley Rotary Club, the steering group appointed Grace Plant, a director of the Bewdley design-and-build firm Pondstart, to design the new centre and steer the project through the planning process.

She gave her services free and permission for the new structure was granted in April 2005.

When Pondstart won the building contract, she took over as project manager and construction began six months later, just over a year after the old building was wrecked.

Although construction went on through the winter, the weather was kind and the building was completed on time last month.

Phase THREE: A brochure outlining the aims of Operation Covert was created to send to trust funds and charitable organisations supporting projects for young people.

While appealing for financial assistance, the brochure underlined the fact that the project had won the backing of the whole community. It included photographs of fund-raising events, working drawings and an artist's impression of the new structure.

Dozens of brochures were sent out and brought in more than £15,000 from charitable organisations.

Phase FOUR: The final strand of the appeal was to approach businesses with requests for materials, fixtures and fittings. A shopping list was drawn up to encourage companies to donate key items.

These included windows, kitchen equipment, a disabled toilet and exterior timber cladding.

The idea brought a positive response from local companies and saved the appeal thousands of pounds.