Brownie Climbers

We make sure all Holiday Bròwnies from each programme hear about County events so when Region took over the local climbing centre, lots of the girls signed up to join in the fun.

It was also a good opportunity to have an information stand for leaders and parents

Easter Brownies

This year the leaders were keen to run an Easter event as we still have graduate Brownies who have chosen to stay in the unit and lots of other girls who simply enjoy what we get up to even though they are in other units now.

The day usually revolves round a new interest badge so the decision was taken to do the Fire Safety badge.  

We are lucky that at one of our county fire stations they have a special education centre which teaches young people about safety in innovative settings - a bus, a railway crossing (and train), park, beach, house and streets.  They also have an Internet safety zone.  

The girls spent 2 hours looking for safety hazards in the house, planning their own escape routes at home, seeing the aftermath of fire damage etc.  They also spent time in the train, park, beach and Internet zones.

 

While we were in the centre, all the fire engines rushed off to an incident but afterwards the girls toured the fire station seeing some of the specialist vehicles.  Just as we were about to leave, the fire engines returned....

The firemen were delighted to pose for photos then suggested they should purge all the tanks and would the girls like to use the hoses?  Would they?  You bet......

After that they all tried on helmets, tried out the cab for size and tested the heat sensors.

Everyone then walked to a nearby Scout Hut for lunch before an afternoon of Easter crafts, an Easter egg hunt and games.

 

There were some very jealous brothers and Dads who came to pick up the girls afterwards!

 

One to One support

We are delighted to have been contacted by various people for more information.  We have shared our reports, videos, "How to" Guide and do one to one sessions to help answer those tricky questions like how much to charge, where to hold events and how to work with Join Us and Go!.  So far we have been able to find ways to work round most things and we look forward to welcoming many more pilot projects this summer.  We stand ready to help in any way we can.

For example, we had an evening meeting with Sara Berryman who has put together a proposal for starting a permanent Holiday Brownie unit in Bristol and South Glos.  This may well be something worth our looking at too. 

We have a new dedicated e-mail address GGGlosHB@yahoo.co.uk and several of us can pick up and reply to questions there.  We have lots of Twitter followers and that has been a good way to hear more about what is happening too.  Please follow @holidaybrownies

Getting ready for 2015 - recruiting girls and leaders

Knowing that we would have been able to run more events with more girls, we decided to start our publicity well before Easter this year.

At the end of February we posted this in our County newsletter

We are already looking ahead to the summer so if you have a girl appear on Join Us who is unlikely to get a place before September, please do direct them to the Holiday Brownies or Holiday Rainbows options via GGGlosHB@yahoo.co.uk so we can start planning the events early.

We talked to our Senior Section members at face to face events and have started recruiting leaders using their Facebook group

I am also looking for volunteers to help run Holiday Brownies this summer. 3 full on days with the most enthusiastic girls you'll ever meet. it is a chance to complete an ALQ, cover another level and as the scheme is run by students, a chance to really develop and use your leadership skills. Dates need setting soon so if you'd like to be part of it, just leave a comment here

and we have created a guide to being a Holiday brownie leader

Become a Girlguiding Gloucestershire Holiday Brownie Leader for Summer 2015

What is Holiday Brownies?

Holiday Brownies is a 3 day activity programme for girls aged about 7-8 who would like to become Brownies.  The programme makes lots of use of our outdoor spaces at Cowley but is really just 12 ordinary brownie meetings packed into 24 fun-filled hours.  It is run by students who have either completed or have nearly completed their Adult leader qualification.

What's in it for the leaders?

Real responsibility and the chance to develop your leadership skills.

The opportunity to extend your Guiding leadership qualifications or gain a new one such as low ropes instructor

What will I be expected to do?

You will help plan the programme, buy or source the resources, run the actual programme(s) and take part in post event evaluation.  Most of this is done over social media (we use both Facebook and Twitter)

You have to be able to work in a team with your peers sharing the different roles between you as required.  You might find yourself supporting a girl with special needs in a one-to-one arrangement or running a scavenger hunt, you will also be expected to take a turn as First Aider or washing and tidying up.

If possible, we will ask you to become a virtual Brown Owl to Brownies who need a bit more support before they can get into a unit.  This is usually a monthly Facetime or Skype call or e-mails to parents to look at badge opportunities or tell them about future events. 

We are also the national ambassadors for this flexible Guiding initiative so you may get the chance to speak at conferences or travel to other parts of the country to support other Counties and Regions planning similar initiatives.

Am I paid?

No, but we provide a daily £10 allowance to cover your food and local transport costs.   If you need to travel to planning meetings, we will pay your mileage at the county rate. 

We will provide you with a special Holiday brownies polo shirt

You are able to stay up at Deer Park for any or all nights of the programme if you wish at no charge.

The County will cover your annual membership fee (or share responsibility with your other unit(s)) so you have a continuous service record.

We will provide references for university or employers on request.

 

On 7 March we have a girls event at a climbing centre and will hopefully be able to engage with parents of rainbows (a key recruitment group) and we hope to start signing them up early. 

Do you have a Daughter who would love to be a Brownie?

If you do and she is already 7 or will be 7 by 31 August and is not expected at that time to have started Brownies, why not consider the Gloucestershire Girlguiding summer Brownie programme?  The 40 girls who have taken part in 2013 and 2014 had an amazing time over 3 days at the Guides' Deer Park Activity Centre in the village of Cowley.  They took part in a wide variety of activities including scavenger hunts, grass sledging, team building, sewing, knotting, cake decorating and games.  At the end of the 3 days they were able to make their Promise and had also earned their first Brownie badge. 

If you would like a place in 2015, there are 40 available in August (you will be offered a choice of dates) and you can apply for one by e-mailing GGGlosHB@yahoo.co.uk .  Full information and forms can then be sent to you.  Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

The cost will be £36 for the 3 days plus £24 annual membership fee.  This includes all the programme activities, brownie badges and books plus a special Holiday Brownies T shirt.

Please leave the tear-off slip below at the Climbing centre today if you would like us to contact you.

 

Helen Welsh

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Name of daughter:

date of birth:

parent/carer e-mail address:

parent/carer home or mobile phone number:

 

Weeks in which I would prefer my daughter to attend (it may run M-W or W-F) if known

3 August                                              10 August

17 August                                            24 August

 

 

Hitting the Conference Circuit

Gosh - we really should have updated this before now but somehow time gets away from you doesn't it?

In autumn 2014 we were delighted to be invited to London to speak to the National Conference of growing Guiding coordinators.  This gave Charlotte, Amy and Cerys the chance to share their stories with leaders from across the country.  This was the first outing for our special purple and gold Holiday brownies neckers (bought as a discount job lot from One Stop Scouting and decorated with daisy lace)

The girls were made extremely welcome and did a superb job.  Afterwards (having checked out "the poshest loos in the world") they headed out into London to track down Paddington Bears and see the sights.

The following week both of the girls headed to CentreParcs in Wiltshire where they spoke to a large Growing guiding Conference and met both the Chief Guide and the Chief Commissioner. 

Following their appearance in London, invitations started to flow in for the brownies.  Where possible we like them to be able to go and speak in person, but we decided we'd need to make a video we could use when that wasn't possible so on a cold Saturday morning, Hannah, Meg and Amy created a very funny video about their experiences.

 In January we enjoyed an action packed weekend.  It started with 3 of us flying to Belfast to speak at their conference.  Emily and Hannah talked about the benefits for them as students of having real leadership roles in Guiding.  It was also lovely to present Hannah with her Leadership Qualification that evening in front of over 100 Ulster Guiders.  She had achieved this solely with Holiday Brownies showing it is flexible for leaders too. 

On the Saturday Hannah and Emily headed off to explore Belfast while Helen caught an early plane home to her County Conference.

On  the Sunday, it was back in the car again and this time we headed north to Leicestershire where the Midlands conference awaited us.  2 very hungry brownies (Matilda and Cerys) who by now had the measure of conference centres, arrived and after a quick set-up, grabbed breakfast before their talk. 

Afterwards there was a real buzz around the conference and we presented packets of sunflower seeds to everyone to remind them of our desire to grow Guiding - each sunflower creates many, many more seeds.

the girls then enjoyed an afternoon treat at Twycross Zoo where they were able to complete large parts of their Friend to Animals badge.

Spreading the Word

Holiday Brownies made the local paper! We still have places on next weeks programme so if you know any 7-10 year olds on the waiting list for Brownies in Gloucestershire that might want to get involved let us know!

Online link... http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/Places-available-fun-packed-Gloucestershire/story-22338143-detail/story.html

Day Three

Day Three was a busy day! Firstly we welcomed Julie Brown (Region) and Karen McFarlane (County Growing Guiding coordinator) our VIPs for the day. Another wake and shake to start and we were delighted to see our VIPs joining in! Thank you, thank you, thank you to them both for getting involved in all aspects of the day.

 

 

Today's activities included learning about the Countryside Code, a scavenger hunt, lending a hand on site, wellie pegs, pre-promise prep, grass-sledging and "tea in an unusual place"!



We also welcomed some Brownie-sized VIPs - some of last years Holiday Brownies! Here they are practising the sign language promise. 

Making fridgecake!

Our decorated wellie pegs

Lending a hand

Day three ended with the Promise Ceremony. Last years Holiday Brownies led the girls up in pairs to make their promise. The girls also sang some of the songs they'd learnt and we heard about some of the activities they'd taken part in over the three days.

And of course, no Holiday Brownies programme would be complete with a campfire and smores - the perfect end to a fabulous 3 days with a great bunch of new Brownies :)