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Girlguiding Bedfordshire goes on a Viking Trail
A group of Guides
and Young Leaders from Bedfordshire travelled to Iceland this summer
to join an international Jamboree in Akureri. During the week long
camp the girls had the opportunity to find out what Viking life
was like - they did woodwork and ironwork, went fishing, hiked in
the mountains, played water games and many other activities as well
as the usual campfires. They met Guides and Scouts from countries
such as Norway, Denmark, America, Canada, Germany, Holland as well
as Iceland. Girlguiding Bedfordshire won the best subcamp award
, given to the subcamp that was judged the best at inspections carried
out over the week.
After the camp there was a break of three days in Reykjavic to enjoy
the waterfall, geyser, whale watching and a visit to the Blue Lagoon.
The girls and their leaders came home tired (the plane was delayed
by 7 ½ hours) but bursting with happy memories and lots of
new friends.
'Hannah had a brilliant time and it was a fantastic experience,
one she won't ever forget'
Alex and Suzi especially enjoyed the hiking and watersports. They
made many new friends from different countries.'
'Nicola thought it was a fantastic trip and had a great time'
Thanks to all our supporters that helped to make the trip possible.
Download
the press release with pictures
Gill Lake -
group leader
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Luton South Division Round of the County Cook Out Competition
Luton South Division held their Division round of the County
Cook Out Competition on Tuesday 10th June at Haverings. The weather
was very kind to us. 8 teams entered and all of the girls completed
the challenge. Food was tested and tasted by 2 local Guiders and
the Division Commissioners husband. The winning team were the Jelly
Totos from the 5th Stopsley Guides. You can see below the team and
their finished meals
We wish them well in the next round.
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Katie Robertson
receiving her award from Kate Silverton in April.
Katie Robertson, who completed her Queens Guide in summer 2007
attended her official presentation in April 2008 and had her award
presented by Kate Silverton.
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1st Wilden Rainbows
1st Wilden Rainbows in North Beds celebrated Rainbows’ 21st birthday
by painting clay tiles at The Kiln in Bedford. Each girl designed
a tile with a picture that reflected some aspect of Rainbows – a
love of nature, a picture of friends, or a painting of an activity
we’d done earlier in the term. We all had a great time, and didn’t
get TOO messy!
Also, as part
of the birthday celebrations, the girls went to school dressed in
their Rainbow uniforms on 7 May, and gave away sunflowers they’d
grown from seeds.
1st Luton
Guides
We had a practise weekend for the Essex Jamboree in the summer ....
however hopefully in the summer we will only see the sun and not
the sun,wind,rain,hailand on sunday the SNOW!!!!! we all had fun
though making this snow guide and dressing her in our unit neckerchief.
1st Stockwood
Brownies meet The Queen
We were lucky to be chosen in March to attend the Commonwealth Observance
Service at Westminster Abbey in London attended by Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. We were very excited but
didn't know what we would be going to see no one knew, the week
before we went we all received letters for school just to get permission
for us to get the day off (as if our teachers would say no to the
Queen!!!) Snowdrop had already had to give details of our full names
to the Palace for security procedures on the day we had to be on
the list or we didn't get in!
We left Luton at 7.45am because we had to be at Westminster Abbey
for 9.30am and we didn't want to be late. We had our photo taken
when we arrived at St Pancras and then at Westminster tube station,
when we got into the Abbey we were met by 'Judy' who was to stay
with us all day to show us around and tell us about our job!!!!
We didnt know we had to do a job that was a shock to everyone including
Snowdrop but we come from Luton South Division in Bedfordshire and
we took it all in our stride. Off we went with Judy and she introduced
us to 'David' who was going to be carrying the Commonwealth Flag
and we were going to be his escorts, after lots of rehearsing and
walking up and down the Abbey we went for lunch, we had to get 3
taxis to get us all across to CHQ where we were taken to the ICANDO
centre for drinks and then we went next door to a restaurant for
lunch. Then we had an hour in the ICANDO centre where Lily was interviewed
for Guiding magazine with snowdrop and Moley so we might get into
a future copy of that as well. Then we were back into the taxis
to get to the Abbey for the service itself where Snowdrop made sure
we were all extra smart with tidy hair and then Judy came to take
us off to do our escort work.
The Queen arrived on time with the Duke of Edinburgh and we got
to see her as she was introduced to people then off went David with
the Flag and we escorted him down the Abbey to the altar (even Ranger
Bear got to take part!) then at the end of the service we escorted
the flag and Queen out of the abbey and got to speak to the Duke
we had a really busy day but when Snowdrop thought we would all
go to sleep on the train home we were all really really bouncy and
couldn't wait to get to Brownies to tell all the others about our
day.
It might have
rained a lot, been very windy but we didn't care we had fun, we
met the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and had a really really good
day. Snowdrop was very proud of us and we were all treated like
V.I.P's for the day which was great fun. We all received a copy
of this photo from CHQ and 2 brownies even got their photo taken
with the Queen which snowdrop is waiting to arrive in the post even
our mascot Ranger Bear managed to get into the photo!
1st Stockwood Brownies :- Lily, Brionne, Sophie, Mica, Lucy Y, Moley,
Snowdrop and Ranger Bear
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BP Challenge Weekend January 2008
20 girls spent a weekend at Haverings in Luton undertaking their
final part of their BP Challenge. Their task was to put on a Pantomime
in one weekend. This included making costumes, scenery and programmes,
assisted by Haverings Trefoil Guild. Learning all the lines and
finally puting on the Pantomime to approximately 60 people. They
all took the challenge well and this resulted in an excellent production.
Well done girls. Click the pictures to view the photo gallery
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BP Challenge Award
Here are Sophie, Izzy & Siobhan from 17th Bedford Guides,
who recently completed their Baden Powell Challenge Awards - well
done girls!"
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2nd Maulden Brownies at Remembrance Day
Maulden Brownies made quite an impression when they attended
this years Remembrance Parade in Maulden, Bedfordshire. The Brownies
turned out on a fairly cold and breezy day but looked very smart
indeed. The Brownies proudly paraded with their unit flag, along
with other organisations, to the memorial in the center of the village
and also laid a wreath at the memorial. The Brownies had previously
that week discussed in a Pow Wow the meaning of the Remembrance
Day and here they can be seen proudly wearing their Poppies and
with the Unit Flag and Wreath that they laid.
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2nd Maulden Brownies presenting items donated by the girls to Judith
Haggar of the Leonard Cheshire in Ampthill
Maulden Brownies and Ampthill Rainbows turned out in force to
present to The Leonard Cheshire Home in Ampthill as array of wonderful
Harvest Festival Gifts. Each year Maulden Brownies along with Ampthill
Rainbows go along to the home for adults with disabilities and present
them with a mixture of food items and gifts that the home can use
to sell and raise much needed funds for the residents of Agate House.
The Reverend Richard Winslade of St Mary the Virgin Church in Maulden,
also traditionally attends and entertains the Rainbows, Brownies
and Residents with a hilarious Harvest Festival Talk which is thoroughly
enjoyed by everyone.
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Alison with the Countess of Wessex
Alison and Carrie attended their official presentation at St James
Palace on November 1st 2007 to be officially presented by the Countess
of Wessex with their awards,(the Countess was making her last public
appearance before starting her maternity leave) Also it was the
first QG presentation to take place in the Palace and was attended
by aprox; 100 award recipients, the largest QG presentation to have
taken place of candidates still active within Girlguiding UK.
Each person met the Countess to have their brooch officially presented
and they also received a congratulations card and a Girlguiding
UK compact mirror.
**********
2nd Maulden Brownies had a very exciting visit to their local
Fire Station in Ampthill, Bedfordshire as part of the culminating
of some very interesting work towards their Fire Safety Badge. The
Fire Officers were very impressed with the Brownies knowledge about
Fire Safety and the fact that the Brownies were able to answer the
fire officers questions so quickly and paid so much attention to
what the fire officers were explaining. The Brownies listened to
a presentation given by the fire officers, watched a fire officer
get ready in his special outfit along with his breathing apparatus,
had a good look over one of the Fire Brigades appliances and all
the Brownies even had a go at using a hose on the training ground.
They all had their badge books signed off by a member of the Fire
Brigade and were seen off the station to the sounds of the fire
appliance sirens and the blue flashing lights! Here the Brownies
are seen just towards the end of their visit posing in front of
one of the Fire Brigades appliances. - Brown Owl - Sandra Grant
*******
Congratulations to Louise and Katy on receiving their Queens
Guide Award.
Louise and Katy seen here with Queens Guide Advisor Sue Hunt.
Well done Louise and Katy an acheivement to be proud of.
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Name : Siobhan of 17th Bedford (Priory)
Message : I have just got back from the most amazing week at
camp! We all had so much fun, even in the endless rain we still
kept smiling. Thank You to everyone who helped organise it, look
after and put up with us for a week. I've no idea how they managed!
**********
Name : Sophie of 17th Bedford (Priory)
Message : BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY CAMP 2007
Just got back from an amazing week and would like to thank all the
"Guards" and organisers for their hard work in making
"The Great Escape" a fantastic experience for everyone,
despite the rain! Looking forward to seeing all the photos on here
soon.
