Press Release - Guiding is Growing

As you may read in the paper or hear on the radio today, Guiding is growing by 1 new member a minute and remains the largest youth organisation in the UK. Hurrah! And it is the same for Surrey West where are numbers are now higher than ever with a total membership of well over 9700 of whom about 8000 are Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section and the rest are leaders and other volunteers. The great thing is that, since Go became fully operational, we have been able to map this and will be able to in future.
Of course, someone will bring up the Scouts - aren't they bigger/don't girls prefer them etc and the answer to the first is "No" and the answer to the second is that we welcome any girl joining the youth organisation that suits them. For some girls it will be Scouts but for others it will be Guides - others will prefer Girls Brigade, Red Cross, Sea Rangers etc etc and every single one of those organisations are giving them great life chances just as we are. I am happy if a child, girl or boy, is being helped to make the best of themselves - this isn't a numbers competition it is about our children's future.
PS - all of my children joined scouts or guides but only one is still involved and she is now a Guide Leader with Cindy in New Haw. My 2nd daughter was a keen actress at Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre and my son is an Army Cadet. They have all learned a lot from whichever they chose.

Allotment 3 and a cold

We now have compost bins, manure, raised beds ready to be built and a half painted shed. Now we are on the hunt for top soil. We couldn't do much last weekend because of the cold.

Drove to Pax Lodge to join Camberley Division for dinner. Because it was already snowing I left early and drove home using motorways because I thought they would be gritted. Ha ha. You couldn't actually see the road surface and the "lane" I was driving in could have been anything although it felt about the right distance from the edge.

Now I have a really bad cold....the first for ages. Hot and cold flushes, very bad chesty cough, and a clamp around my head. I caught it from my son.

This week is a quiet work week, fortunately, but I am seeing a creative agency on wednesday who are offering 8 hours free consulting for charities. It is based in Guildford and I aim to get some sort of steer on the best way to promote ourselves. I'll let you know how it goes

Allotment 2

We have cleared half the ground,dug out an oak tree, replanted the rasperries....there is a shed in my garden waiting to be transported to the plot. What we need is a compost heap so there is a nee to seek out pallets or similar. We have the wood for raised beds and stakes for the corner of the compost bins so we are getting on.

My Allotment

A week ago I took ownership of an allotment - or a half as those who know anything about these things would call it. I did have quite a long think about whether this would be a good idea given the state of my diary but I decided that, with help, it would be OK. So I called daughter 1's boyfriend to ask if he would help - and he said he would. We went and visited the site to plan what we needed to do - daughter 1 tagging along in a very cold and reluctant way. Then I asked daughter 2's boyfriend if he could provide us with raised beds - he works in a timber yard so there was method in my madness. Then I talked to my husband - who is not a keen gardener but will rake leaves or mow if forced. However, he seemed a little bit interested and even volunteered to come and get manure for the compost heap. We now have a small heap of this on site but compost bins need building when I get some pallets.
I have also ordered a shed but am waiting for permission from Walton Charities to put it up.
Actually I am quite excited about it - and even gave daughter 1's boyfriend permission to grow potatoes - but only earlies.

Just a youth club - but with a uniform?

I have been thinking about how Guiding is perceived and whether people are aware that we have a programme that is designed to encourage girls and young women to develop their potential and to take an active part in the community. All leaders should be aware of that too! But do we tell others? Probably not, which means there is a perception that Guiding is a "good thing" but no-one is sure why. So I would like this to change in Surrey West. My Annual report will focus on it and will use case studies of girls and women who have developed in Guiding and this has influenced and helped their career and educational choices. For example, Becky Smith has been our photographer at SWING and is now a professional photographer; there is a group of women who Surrey West supported to swim the Channel; one of our Guides sang to a packed crowd in Wembley at the Big Gig having won the Guiding Star competition. I am sure there are more - and I would like to hear about them.

Emotional swings

Monday - my dearly loved Scenic, mine since its birth 14 years ago, died. I know it is/was just a car but it was MY car.

Tuesday - (1) bought a new car. Looked for one which made you go "Woo-hoo" (as described by fellow car-hunter Sarah, my daughter) and found a bright red Aygo. Delivery 23rd December
(2) contacted by Elmbridge Museum to say they were sorting out their collections and some of the finds from the Oatlands Palace excavations at Weybridge Guide Hall may be surplus to requirements. They were looking at the paperwork but they were partly owned by the Guides .... and did we want them reburied? I suggested we might like them back....possibly to sell to raise funds to rebuild the Hall.

Time for a pause?

I thought I was busy earlier this month but it has been even busier since then.....and it was the same last year until I lost my work laptop and a pause was forced on me. Nothing so drastic this time but I need a pause now....to get away from the work pressures and, dare I say it, Guiding. Yes, perhaps it is time for a break - or a very clear break over Christmas and the New Year for everyone. So here is my resolution - I will stop all but essential/urgent Guiding on December 18th after the Carol Service at Charterhouse. I will start again on January 6th. Why don't you do the same?
In the meantime - Happy Christmas until we speak again