September 2009 – AnnaCPage’s Blog

http://www.girlguiding100years.org.uk/centenary_launch.aspx

COME TO THE PARTY GUIDES!

Today was a BIG day for Girlguiding. We celebrated 100 years of the movement with lots of parties in the UK where Guiding started as each county had its own celebration. Soon there will be more all over the world in the countries where the movement was adopted soon after it was founded.

My girls are both in the movement, and nearly 3 years ago I joined the Trefoil Guild – which is the movement for old Guides or Guiders (I was a South African Guide). A few Guides from my elder daughter’s company were attending the Bucks Party, but my little one’s Rainbows weren’t going, so I arranged to take her instead, partly because I wanted to join in the fun too! There were 46 of us from the Wolverton District who joined the rest of Ouse Valley crowd as part of the huge crowd from all across the County at the Buckinghamshire party, which was held at Cottesloe School in Wing. Most people who attended travelled there and back in coaches – 40 altogether (about 2,500 people).

The day had started clear and sunny, but by the time we arrived in the early afternoon it had clouded over, and at times was quite cool (fortunately it didn’t rain). Each Division had an area at the rim of the field, and activites were placed in between the Divisional areas around the central Arena (where there were displays of the Chesham All Girls Band, Falconry, and Sheepdogs herding geese!). In fact the variety of activities laid on for the girls to enjoy was quite staggering, my girls tried out Circus skills, giant slide, bouncy assault course, Climbing wall, Steel band, bouncy castle and a magic show, and there was loads more (they watched but didn’t do the Archery and the Steam Traction engine rides, there were also several other things they didn’t have time to try). After the picnic the whole arena was covered with parachute games, this was followed by a disco in the big tent. We then returned to our coaches for the 30 minute journey home, very tired but happy after an active and fun filled day in which both girls got to try out new skills and burn off some energy.

Steel drumming

Climbing wall

One of the nicest things about the day was the chance to meet up with Guiding friends, including the lovely surprise of spending time with my elder daughter’s former Brown Owl, who now lives overseas but had returned to celebrate with friends and family involved in Guiding.