Lunch and thoughts on Trefoil Guild

It has been a busy week as you might have guessed as it is my first in post. On Monday I met with Julie in the office to sort out lots of things - not least the Exec meetings which I want to make shorter. That took all morning.

Today I had lunch with a Trefoil Guild. It was a lovely lunch, held at Weyside, but it was clear that this group, unlike many others who continue to find new members both in Guiding and retired, was finding it hard to recruit younger members. Their numbers had fallen and they were losing members as they died (sad to say). They had all known each other for some years and grown up together.

Perhaps we need to accept that Trefoil Guilds tend to be cohorts - like Rangers - where a group of friends join and it needs another group of friends to join to keep numbers up. As there are a group of Leaders close to retirement at the moment perhaps they could form a "Class of 200X" Trefoil Guild? Our Leaders in their 60s are in most cases fit, active, competent and very supportive folk. We can, and have, involved them in County events such as Dirty Hands and Muddy Boots Day and Gangstas and Glamour to run activities and play an active part and not just make the tea. They are a fantastic resource. Of course, I don't say Trefoil Guild has to be older people - I joined at 21 and had a brilliant time.

Signing off