Girlguiding Surrey East - County Newsletter October 2009

County Newsletter October 2009

You can download a PDF version of the County Newsletter (which will include all the contact details, forms and images); click the article title to expand the details, or expand all /collapse all. This edition includes:-

From the County Commissioner
- Dear All
- Happy Centenary everybody.
- What can one say after a fabulous day at Lingfield celebrating the launch of the Centenary? It was huge fun, very exciting, and a credit to all the Leaders who organised the day. Everything ran smoothly and if there were one or two things that could be bettered they were small. The fireworks were superb, the rides were fun, the side-shows a thrill, the crafts so varied, and the tea was a lifesaver.
- There were a few VIPs there, but all said how much they had enjoyed themselves and how well behaved the girls were. Several stayed longer than they intended. The Senior Section girls who served tea and escorted the VIPs around were very helpful and ever smiling.
- Thank you to all the people who put the day together. It was a magnificent day that those attending will long remember. One Rainbow was heard to announce “this is heaven”. Well done everyone for making her day.
- Enjoy the term and see you at the next event.
- Margaret Frosztega - County Commissioner
Message from Liz Burnley, Chief Guide
- I wanted to get in touch just to wish you a really happy and memorable Centenary year!
- Those countdowns of 'days to go' have always made it feel that the launch day was somehow still quite distant, but here we are - and so nearly there. How are you feeling? I have a mixed range of emotions - so very proud and honoured to be in this Movement at such an amazing time in our history; concerned to make sure we do our best to make those mountain top moments really special for all our members; excited by the great progress we have made already in sharing our very unique formula with the wider world.
- So thank you in advance for making those special moments possible. Remember you aren't on your own if things are getting hard -we are so good at supporting each other, so do lean on others when you need to.
- Don't forget to take every opportunity to share the message that having more Leaders will enable even more girls to join in this great game of ours. Enjoy welcoming back those who are inspired to reconnect with us and those who are only just discovering us.
- And please do make sure YOU enjoy your year too. Take the chance to do that thing you really want to do, just for you - you deserve it!!
Copy for the County Newsletter
- The County Newsletter is published at the beginning of February, May, July and October of each year.
- The deadline for guaranteed inclusion is the 15th of the previous month.
- Please give a contact name and email and telephone number with every contribution (even if you wish it published anonymously), and mention that it is for the County Newsletter, especially in the email subject.
- It would be a great help to the Editor if items for the newsletter could be emailed.
From the Editor
- Most of this Newsletter is devoted to the fantastic Launch Day at Lingfield on the 5th September. Below is reproduced part of the Press Release, followed by photographs and then copies of some of the thank you emails received.
- Hopefully we will have lots more photographs etc to include as we go through this special year, but please keep sending in any other news and articles for inclusion.
- Joan
Girlguiding Surrey East launches into their Centenary with style
- On 5 September 2009 Girlguiding Surrey East celebrated the Launch of Girlguiding UK’s Centenary year at Lingfield Park Racecourse in Surrey.
- Girls and their Leaders from all over the County descended onto the Racecourse via coaches and a special birthday train to enjoy a funfair to mark the special occasion. Attractions included much-loved fairground rides such as dodgems and a Ferris wheel, energetic cheerleading workshops, DrumJam, and a Punch and Judy show performed by Pauline’s Puppets.
- The evening entertainment started on a musical note with the Kingston and Malden Scout and Guide band marching to tune, followed by an original 1910 car. Following the car was the flags, banners and standards from across the County, as well as girls wearing uniforms from each of the decades, from the 1950’s airline style Guide uniform to the infamous Brownie brown dress from the 1980’s.
- A celebration cake was lit and cut by Lady Toulson CBE, the High Sheriff of Surrey, who was so impressed by the day’s events that she agreed to become an Ambassador for Girlguiding Surrey East.
- The Mayors of Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge, Epsom and Ewell, and Horley attended and got involved with all of the activities and met many of the local members and spoke to them about why they enjoy being involved with Guiding. Peter Ainsworth MP also attended and was keen to hear about what girls in Guiding were doing, including international trips and community action projects.
- Katie Nash, a Young Leader with the 7th Redhill Brownies and 10th Redhill Guides, helped escort VIPs around the event for the day and talked about her experiences in Guiding. "I was really pleased that our VIPs were enthusiastic about Guiding and loved the events from the day, we even had one Mayor and Mayoress try their hand on the dodgems!"
- Samantha Fryer, an Assistant Leader at the 10th Redhill Guides, really enjoyed the event. "The Guides I was with had such fun, and the Leaders did too! It’s great to think that when people talk about the Centenary of Guiding, that I can tell them I was there for the Launch!"
- Margaret Frosztega, County Commissioner for Girlguiding Surrey East, was pleased to have provided something that the girls will remember. "We’ve come so far in the last 100 years that we need to remember that this Launch is not just about celebrating the last 100 years, it’s about looking forward to the next 100 years too."
From the Organisers
- As you can see below we have had lots of lovely emails, letters etc - with the majority enjoying themselves. Although it was a lot of hard work for all of us on the Committee, it was fantastic to see it all come together on the day with lots of happy, smiling faces and now lots of photographic memories. We realise there were some minor problems on the day - like the Drumjam and First Aid being in different places to those shown on the map and the signpost. The Drumjam was moved on the day by their organisers and the First Aid was supposed to have been relocated to where shown on the map etc, but hadn’t been! Also, there were supposed to be two portaloo blocks close to the coach park. These were in place right up to 10 days before the Launch - and then disappeared! Unfortunately all these things were beyond our control, but we dealt with them as best we could.
- However, we do hope you all had a wonderful memorable day!
- Jackie Broadhurst - Member of the Launch Committee
Thank you emails received
- Mountain Top Moment I’m sure that in 50 years time some of the girls at Lingfield on Saturday will say “I remember what I was doing when Guiding was 100”. Congratulations on masterminding such a very successful day. It was obviously a huge team effort but what a triumph; everyone seemed to be having so much fun from 5 year olds to 80 plus! Thank you very much for inviting me and for all that you did to make the Launch such a memorable occasion. Enjoy the rest of the year. Best wishes, Sue Phillips
- Well done for such a fantastic day. I was so impressed with your team and all their hard work in organising such a huge event which the girls and everyone else seemed to be enjoying. I was glad to be part of it.
- Many thanks to you and your team for the wonderful birthday party you invited me to on Saturday. A lot of hard work went into making The Launch the success it was. The girls I spoke to on the way home had all enjoyed themselves. I overheard one Guide telling her father what she had been doing and she could not get the words out fast enough! Thank you.
- It was a pleasure (!) to be part of the team and to see the event take shape. Yesterday was very exciting and as I stood and waved goodbye to the coaches last night, all the smiles and waves I received made it all worthwhile! I agree it has set the tone and hopefully fired the enthusiasm for the forthcoming Centenary events.
- Thank you so much for the great day on Saturday. Our District had a wonderful time, there was plenty for them to do, everything was well organised and ran smoothly. You have all worked so hard to make this day a success and memorable, I am sure the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides will certainly remember our 100th Birthday! Well done, with thanks,
- Just a note to say thank you very much to you and your team for a fantastic day yesterday. Everyone seemed to be having a good time - my girls certainly enjoyed themselves. I think we’ll all have lots of happy memories. Even the weather co-operated! Thanks, again, for all your hard work.
- Well done - a fantastic event! My girls really enjoyed themselves. The crafts were great fun and the drumming superb!
- What a super day! We all had a great time. Thank you from us all.
- What a fantastic day! I just wanted to congratulate you and your team for the great organisation - there was so much going on, and the girls (and adults!) were obviously loving it. It certainly makes one proud to be a member of such a great organisation.
- Thank you for all your thoughts, ideas and hard work in putting the Launch together, and for leading the team. It is quite an achievement; you should be proud. Congratulations and thank you.
- I would like to thank you and your team for organising the Centenary launch event. The girls particularly liked the big rides, the parade of uniforms, the Drum Jam and of course the superb firework display at the end. It was a launch event for them all to remember.
- What a superb start to the Centenary year! Thank you so much for inviting me to join with the Guides, Brownies and Rainbows (and indeed their elders!) FOR SUCH AN EXCELLENT AFTERNOON. The young were having a wonderful time and I kept hearing remarks as to how well behaved they all were. Congratulations on this first event and may the whole year be a great success in every way.
- A very big thank you for the wonderful Surrey East Centenary Launch that you and your team planned and ran with such fantastic results. Everywhere I looked the girls had excited faces, and were carrying precious crafts made in the very busy pavilion. The organisation from beginning to end was marvellous - the staff from the racecourse were very impressed! So much hard work must have gone into the planning, but all worth it, so thank you so much for giving the girls, Leaders and Trefoil members such a memorable day to start the Centenary year.
- Fabulous, great, so exciting. What can I say, the best of birthday parties. My email system is groaning from thank you’s, I’ve even had one at work from a parent and one of the Rainbows was heard to say ‘it was heaven’. Even my most world weary Guides thought it was great. Margaret Frosztega, County Commissioner
- These are just a few of the many!
County Website
- Many thanks to those who sent in ideas and contributions for the County website since my piece in the last Newsletter - we now have well over 100 pages on the site covering a wide variety of subjects. There’s a full range of Region, County and Epsom Division standard badges available for online purchase too. First Response applications have risen dramatically since they were placed on-line - the immediate confirmation of a booking is welcomed, as also are the reminders before the event. We also do online applications for Leader Trainings and, as soon as I get the information, Centenary event applications will be on the site too.
- There have been other changes as well, but right now I’ve come to the end of my own ideas and resources and I’d appreciate help from across the County. Whether it’s a favourite craft or activity, or news of your last great event or outing, email it along so that others can share the fun. And if you don’t want to do it yourself, why not get one of your Rainbows, Brownies or Guides to do it?
- For many people websites are very much a reference source, and we already have most County forms etc available for download. Advisors and others with official news are encouraged to update event news etc to support this - just email it to me. Of course not everyone in the County uses the Internet, but those that do appreciate the information and can pass it on.
- Why not visit www.girlguidingsurreyeast.org.uk and see what there is there for you and your Unit. And, as with anything to do with the website, if you’d like advice or explanation, just email me. And if you’d like to suggest something for the site, whether you have the information or would like someone else to provide it, just let me know.
- Robin Gould – County Webmaster
Streamline - the moment!
- Surrey East were asked to Go! Live several weeks earlier than previously agreed. I hope that you have by now all received your password and are finding the new system works well for you.
- Gill Utting - Project Streamline Co-ordinator
Have a Quacking Evening!
- An exciting Duck activity pack will be launched at County Training Day on 10th October 2009! This very special pack is full of quacking activities including crafts, songs, games and a competition for all sections. Each girl can also receive their own super-dooper duck! All proceeds go towards my amazing international trip to South Africa, of which I am a leader. Please contact me for more information before the ducks swim away as there are limited supplies! Thank you.
- Laura Ede
Centenary Launch Programmes
- Everyone who attended the Centenary Launch Celebrations at Lingfield Park should have received a programme of the events of the day.
- If you did not receive a copy, your copy has been lost of damaged, or you were unable to be present on the day and would like a copy for your records, I have lots of spare copies available which I would be only too delighted to let you have.
- Please contact me direct.
- Mary Holloway-Neville - County Arts Advisor
Surrey East Centenary Badges
- Following the Centenary Badge Competition that we ran earlier in the year, we designed our own celebratory badge based on the winning design by Jennifer Peach of Fusion Rangers, Reigate Division.
- The badge is made up of a smiling lion holding onto a 100th Birthday balloon representing our Surrey Lion, on top of a trefoil in red (Rainbows and Trefoil Guild), yellow (Brownies), blue (Guides) and aqua (Rangers/ Young Leaders). The background to the whole badge is in Rainbow blue and incorporates our County name and the Centenary dates.
- These badges not only celebrate the Launch but the whole of the Centenary year and are available to purchase at £1.00 each. The badges make a great gift to your girls and for all who like to collect badges for camp blankets, gilets, hats, etc.
- Mary Holloway-Neville - County Arts Advisor
Meetings for new Leaders working on their Leadership Modules
- New Leaders who haven’t got their leadership books come along at 7:30 pm. Leaders who have started come along at any time during the period 7:30 to 8:45 pm.
- Did you help with the Launch and did you help with the planning of this term for your Unit - if you did you will have modules that you can get signed off at the next group meeting in your area. Please check your leadership book and see what you have done since we last met. If you have been helping at your Unit on a regular basis you will have done some modules. Have you logged on to the Surrey East website and registered for a First Response course if you need one? If you cannot make any of the dates below, give me a ring. Mentors are happy to meet you on other dates. Any queries, ring me.
- The following are the dates set for the next group meetings 7:30 -9:00pm
- Ashtead, Leatherhead & Bookham area - 16 November 2009
- Downs Heath - 3 December 2009
- Epsom - 23 November 2009
- Godstone - 2 November 2009
- Reigate - 12 November 2009
- Ashtead - 21 January 2010
- We have 201 ladies working on their Leadership so we need you to help us by coming to group meetings to get your leadership books and attending subsequent meetings to get the modules signed off. You can complete this in a term if you get organised.
- Denise Kinrade
Centenary 'Cake'
- The large artificial birthday cake used at the Centenary Launch is available for anyone to borrow. Please contact me direct.
- Roo Harmer
Newly Qualified Leaders
- Congratulations to the following Leaders who completed their qualifications since July 2009
- Downs Heath - Kathryn Dray (Guides, Gill Utting), Carole Haines (Rainbows, Kingswood Group), Laura Harold (Rainbows, Denise Gould), Dinah Mabbut (Rainbows, Lesley Marshall)
- Leith Hill - Lois Cremmen (Guides, Dorking Group), Chris Hands Clark (Division Commissioner, Roo Harmer)
- Reigate - Amanda Trease (Guides, Betty Mayes), Alison Clegg (Guides, Betty Mayes), Lizzie Bourne (Brownies, Reigate Group), Amanda Rayner (Rainbows, Sue Fairclough), Amelia Guare (Brownies, Reigate Group)
- Epsom - Lynn Collins (Rainbows, Avril Hancox)
- Godstone - Rebecca Miller (Brownies, Tracy Lovell), Sarah Fennel (Senior Section, Meryl Arnold), Emma McGarry (Guides, Rosemary Belcher)
- The Leadership team really appreciate all the help and support that all the Unit Leaders and Commissioners give to the new Leaders. Please could I remind all District Commissioners to update Denise Kinrade whenever there are any changes in what new Leaders are doing, especially if they have moved away or decided not to do the training after all.
- Roo Harmer
High up, High on the Mountain, I worked at Our Chalet
- Our Chalet is the oldest of the four World Centres; part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Situated in the Swiss Alps it offers the perfect location for outdoor adventure and international fun and friendship. The centre is run by a team of international staff members. Anyone in Guiding can apply for either the 3 month volunteer programmes, the longer senior paid positions or the short term ‘Ready Steady Go’ weeks. Our Chalet also welcomes Guiding guests from around the world including groups of Guides, Senior Section, Guiders, Trefoil Guild and families. For further information about the opportunities available, take a look at the website.
- I first visited Our Chalet on my 13th birthday as a Guide during the Cuddington District trip to Switzerland. Ever since then, Adelboden has held a special place in my memory and having graduated from university last summer, this year provided the ideal chance to return. Here is the story of my magical three months spent 'high up, high on the mountain' as a Spring Volunteer.
- Filled with an uncomfortable mixture of excitement and nerves, I got off the bus at Oey to be greeted with a friendly smile from one of the Chalet staff. As I looked around at the snow covered mountains and chalets, it dawned on me just how privileged I was to be living and working at such a beautiful Guiding World Centre. It wasn’t long before I found myself in Spycher attic chatting easily to the other spring volunteers and any concerns that I had soon disappeared.
- Our week of training zoomed past in a blur of excitement, tiredness and information. Before we knew it, the Chalet was full and we were taking large groups hiking and then returning to help cook dinner for 100 people! It felt like we had been thrown in the deep end but we kept swimming, worked together as a team and even enjoyed the craziness. At the end of the week we received our neckers and name badges, praise from the Senior Staff and thanks from the guests. One week down and 12 more to go!
- There is no typical day at the Chalet and the job of a volunteer is so varied that it is hard to describe. Mornings usually start with breakfast preparation in the kitchen, followed by clear up and a staff meeting. If we were staying on site, time would then be spent washing and folding mountains of laundry, cleaning common areas and checking and resetting guest rooms. Many an afternoon was spent in the kitchen preparing dinner for the evening and food for the following day. The end of dinner signalled ‘Wendy time’ (Wendy is the dishwasher!) and the start of kitchen clean up. Days spent on guest services were hard work and at times monotonous, but we always tried to work together to making cleaning and cooking fun.
- The spring season had no organised events, but we still ran programme activities for guests when requested, and there were also day tours. I really enjoyed taking groups hiking to Engstligen Falls and to the woodcarvers as well as organising Snow Olympics and going snow tubing. Simple team games are much more fun when you are ‘running’ through knee-deep snow and the person explaining the rules falls over while trying to do so! Snow BBQs were a real hit with the guests and staff, and not just because of the inclusion of a Toblerone bar. The evening programme was also fun with an assortment of campfires, night hikes, games evenings, Swiss nights and scavenger hunts. I particularly love campfires and so enjoyed the opportunity to learn new songs from around the world, while teaching guests and staff some of my favourites. The result was a near-constant pile of clothes with a very distinctive wood smoke smell!
- Just as the work was varied, so to was the number of guests. From a full house during the Easter holidays and over several long weekends, we had other times with just a handful or even none. These quiet times allowed us to get to know the guests staying a bit better, as well as a chance to work in our specialist areas and have fun with the staff team. Even when the Chalet was empty, we were busy with tea parties in Squirrel House and Baby Chalet, a St. George’s Day English food feast, and an evening of ceilidh dancing with staff from Kandersteg Scout Centre. Calling the ceilidh was definitely a challenge, as was jumping off the bridge in the adventure park, but both were very rewarding. Working on the staff challenge was also difficult but the result is memories of things that I would not otherwise have done, including sleeping in the bomb shelter and climbing the fire escape ladder.
- Working days could be long - up to 14 hours, but not wanting to waste any time, my days off were also busy. Most in March and April were spent skiing and those in May were spent hiking, with an assortment of day trips to Bern, Thun, Geneva, Sion and Interlaken in between.
- So to conclude, my 3 months at the Chalet were filled with fun, laughter, hard work and adventure. There were plenty of ups and downs and I went home exhausted, but taking with me friendships and many memories to treasure for a lifetime. I know I 'ever shall remember the joys of Our Chalet'.
- Clare Grout - Spring Volunteer 2009
County Campfire
- Monday 29th June was a very hot and sticky evening but still around 270 Brownies and Leaders, followed by about 80 Guides and their Leaders, attended the annual County Campfire held at Jordan Heights.
- Having made the effort to climb the slope to the campsite and just a little further to the campfire area, the girls were met by myself and Janet and a minuscule fire - it was just too hot to have a roaring campfire and the trees were so dry there was quite a severe ‘fire’ risk. We were very fortunate to have the help of Menai who ensured we had a very safe and well controlled fire.
- We were very lucky to have a number of members of the Jordan Heights committee on hand to set up the chemical toilets, put up signs to the campsite, take money and generally look after the girls on their ascent.
- This was my 3rd County Campfire having helped Julie and Janet at the last two. I decided to bring my own Brownies this time - well they were suitably amazed at how silly I can be during a campfire - don’t get me wrong, we sing often and we sing some silly songs as well as the more traditional guiding ones, but I managed to step it up a gear and make it even more entertaining (in their words.) Having looked at some of the photographs I am not surprised they were laughing.
- The Brownies loved learning new songs and practising old ones ready for the Launch Campfire on 5th September. My favourite to sing with them was Swimming Pool especially considering the scorching weather we were enjoying. It’s always lovely to see the different versions of songs/actions sung within the County, and to come together to enjoy singing them.
- One of my highlights was definitely singing Edelweiss with the Guides complete with actions. I loved this tune as a Guide and got quite good at the ‘change’ I was really pleased to see the Guides and their Leaders enjoying this one. Another favourite moment was when the Guides from the front row taught us Boogaloo, which was new to many people but was great fun and quick and easy to pick up.
- As I write this I am looking forward to the Launch Campfire and then we can start thinking about the next one.
- Lorna Smith -1st Warlingham Brownies