the crocus - girlguidingcroydon.org€¦ · the crocus 2019. welcome to the new-look crocus...
TRANSCRIPT
The Crocus
2019
Welcome to the new-look Crocus magazine – a round-up of some of the highlights
we’ve had over the past year.
In Girlguiding Croydon our girls and adults have enjoyed some great activities and
adventures including visits to Europe, catching fish, walking over the O2, unit camps
and outings, plus our County campfire for all age groups.
It’s been great seeing all the photos on social media and hearing about the fun and
excitement. You can find us on twitter (@GuidingCroydon) and facebook
(@girlguidingcroydon), and we also have a website (girlguidingcroydon.org).
All this couldn’t happen without our amazing volunteers, so I would like to take this
opportunity to say a very big THANK YOU to everyone who gives time to Girlguiding
Croydon. There’s plenty of room for more volunteers so why not make that your new
year’s resolution and come and join in the fun?!
Jo Wheeler
A message from the
County Commissioner
In February, a small group of leaders from around Croydon got together to do a
different kind of volunteering by taking on some of the volunteering roles at our
local parkrun in Lloyd park. It was great fun to support another fabulous
organisation, and also to raise awareness of Girlguiding in a different way.
Volunteering
Takeover
Volunteering
.
Rainbow pageRainbows
After 20+ years of doing Rainbows, this year I was talked into doing my first
sleepover with my Rainbows. After a lot of planning, form filling, activities
planning, venue booking etc. we embarked on our first sleepover at the end of
July.
I must say everyone had a good time, kept very busy, and even though it rained it
didn’t seem to dampen the girls’ enthusiasm.
At the end, after a Promise ceremony for 2 of the girls, and presentation of the
badges they had earned, they went home tired and happy.
Would I do another one, even though it was a lot of work - probably!!!
Pat Brownbridge
2nd West Croydon Rainbows
Rainbow
sleepover
Fun with Fire
at Frylands Wood
Rainbows, Brownies and Guides got
together to share a variety of
activities and have a great campfire.
There was a lot of teamwork with the
Guides supporting the Rainbows to
carry out the tasks.
Rowena Bradnam
Title text
Rainbows and
BrowniesGrowing up
Wild!
The Radcliffe Guide centre held their annual Fun Day for Rainbows and Brownies
within Fairfield Division in July 2019.
As always, the girls enjoyed bouncing on the inflatables, dancing, a picnic,
making crafts, and were enthralled by a display of 3 birds of prey!
The girls took part in a wide variety of outdoor activities and everyone gained a
Go Wild badge.Christina Smith
Brownies
The 5th Croydon (St George’s) Brownies and the 8th South Croydon (St Augustine’s)
Brownies are both from South Croydon District. The two units joined together for
the last meeting of summer term (and Brown Owl’s birthday!), for a surprise BBQ
and S’mores in Brown Owl’s garden. Our two units had a great time doing new
programme activities.
Our Easter joint Pack Holiday at Radcliffe was just great!
Louise Watts
BBQ and S’mores
Surprise!
Brownies
In May half term 9th Selsdon Brownies
and 9th Sanderstead Brownies went off on
Brownie holiday to the newly rebuilt
Faurefold near Dorking.
The new Faurefold is beautiful and we
would thoroughly recommend a stay
there. The weather was lovely until the
day we went fishing!
Most of the girls had never been fishing
before and were excited to have a go.
The first fish was soon caught and
everyone was very excited for the next
catch! Although it proved that the girls
needed to be patient as it appeared to be
a case of beginner's luck.
Before long as the rain really set in most
of the Brownies had now caught a fish.
The last few girls took a while to be
successful but the ducks on the pond kept
everyone amused while they waited
patiently. Eventually every single girl
caught a fish!
We went inside, out of the rain, and the
girls watched while their fish were
gutted and prepared for them to take
home.
A minibus full of wet and cold Brownies
returned to Faurefold with a sense of
achievement and having learned a new
skill.
Ruby proved to be a marvel at getting the
fish off the line once caught and Charlotte
managed to catch "a whopper"!
All in all an excellent afternoon
excursion.
Meg Passey
Gone Fishing!
It has been a busy year at 15th Central Croydon Brownies, old faces leaving and
new faces joining. Most of all, the old Girl Guiding programme leaving and a new
one introduced.
Over the last term, we completed the level 2 camp badge with some of the older
girls experiencing Guides, while the older Rainbows came to visit us.
The two most popular sections of the badge were girls learning how to put the
tent up and how to build a fire.
Due to the reduced number of adults, Brown Owl decided to take the girls to
activity events Croydon Girlguiding had to offer. In May they visited the local
scout camp at Frylands where they took part in activities with other units and a
campfire.
In July we visited Radcliffe for their Brownie afternoon. The theme was woodland
where the girls took part in the “Disaster strikes” activity, saw live owls and
released their energy on the inflatables.
15th Central Croydon Brownies have another packed year ahead!
Laura Easton
Alyssa of the 8th Addiscombe Brownies
joined our Brownies from Rainbows
when she was 7 years old. She very
quickly started to work for badges.
During the past year Alyssa, who is
now 9 years, has worked extremely
hard to gain as many badges from the
old programme as she could, as well as
beginning the new ones. She only left
out four as these were not physically
possible for her to do.
Well done Alyssa!Val Rolfe
What a year!
A Good
Achievement!
Brownies
On Friday 20th September 5th Shirley Guides travelled to Blacklands for a weekend
of ‘Fear, Fun, Adventure and Friendship’.
On arrival we were directed to Wagtail where we stayed, sharing the building and
dormitories with a Brownie unit from Sutton. Bags on bunks and off to dinner –
burger, hot dog, chips, dessert and drinks all cooked by outside caterers. All food
and drinks were included, even tea, coffee, hot choc, squash and biscuits in our
accommodation.
There were over 460 Brownies and Guides on site, some indoors, some in the tent
village (tents provided or their own unit tents). Help was on hand if needed too!
Fearless Fun!
The next morning we were up early as our
Breakfast slot was 7.15am, then at 8am we
met photographers from Girlguiding HQ as
our Unit was one of three being
photographed over the weekend for futurepublications.
At 9am we went over to our designated yellow flag to await the instructors and
our first activity - swimming. During the weekend we were able to take part in
over 22 different activities, including abseiling, climbing, tunnels, low and high
ropes, Jacobs ladder, archery, tubing, pioneering, human hungry hippos and crafts,
to name just a few. What a brilliant weekend we all had and the weather held off
until lunch time on Sunday. After lunch it was time to go home, exhausted.
Our thanks to everyone who either helped organise, volunteered, instructed or led
activities, for giving us all the opportunity to try something different and make
new friends.Hazel Brown
Guides
Wellies &
Wristbands
On a beautiful sunny and hot August bank holiday weekend, two Shirley Guide
units enjoyed the annual Wellies and Wristbands camp at Foxlease.
16 Guides and 5 Leaders caught a coach from Shirley to the New Forest, Hampshire
at 9 am to try and avoid the traffic that usually happens on a bank holiday Friday!
We arrived at midday with the sun shining and found a place to set up our tents
along the edge of the field to make use of a bit of shade from the hedge!
As soon as the tents were up and packed lunch had been eaten, the Guides were
free to explore the site and find out what was happening and where. One of the
many good things about Wellies & Wristbands is that the site is safe and secure and
the girls have the freedom to walk around trying the many different activities in
the various zones.
Another highlight for the girls is the evening performances on the stage, and this
year the highlight for my Guides was seeing Road Trip! Meeting them afterwards at
the Meet and Greet session was even better.
The highlight for me as a Leader is that the catering over the weekend is provided
by outside caterers and we don’t have to think too much, just turn up on time at
the catering marquee!
Guides
There were too many activities over the weekend to go into detail, but we tried the
Escape Room as a unit and had fun working out the clues; some Guides did raft
building on the lake and enjoyed the zip wire. The inflatables were a favourite, as
was the pamper zone where even the Leaders got tattoos and glittery faces!
For down time we enjoyed watching Disney films in the cinema and hanging out in
the nighttimes café drinking hot chocolate and relaxing in the hot tubs!!!!
The whole weekend was wall to wall sky and sunshine so it was a hot and tiring task
taking down the tents and packing away on the Monday morning. Our coach was late
in arriving so we ate our lunches at Foxlease on the grass by the coach car park!
It was a fantastic weekend with so much to offer girls and leaders and such a
brilliant atmosphere, well worth attending if you get the chance!
Miranda Heester - 7th Shirley Guides
Rowena Bradnam - 1st Shirley Guides
1st & 7th Shirley GuidesGuidesWellies &
Wristbands
(part 2)
10th South Croydon Guides have
supported our local community
through various events including Carol
singing at James Terry Court to helping
set up the Homeless Shelter at St
Augustine’s Church during December
and contributing gift bags for shelter
users. We also completed the Mile for
Macmillan by walking around our local
park.
We celebrated as three Guides from
our Unit were awarded their Baden
Powell Award in December 2018, the
first from our Unit for 10 years!
Thanks to Jack Petchey Grants, our
unit has been Go-Karting, Bouldering
at Craggy Island and enjoyed a day of
fun and thrills at Chessington.
The Guides also participated in Fun
around the Fire in May where the
campfire took centre stage!
Gill Ellis
GuidesCommunity support
& a year of
adventure
Guides
Guides
Congratulations to the 1st Shirley (St
Johns) Guide Company who celebrated
their 100 years anniversary on Friday
27th September 2019 at Radcliffe
Centre!
2019 saw the 100th Anniversary of the
founding of the 1st Shirley Guides. We
celebrated with a 100 cakes, a trip
down memory lane with uniforms,
badges and handbooks through the ages
and special guests of four former
‘Captains’ and of course S’mores
around the fire to finish the evening
off.
Rowena Bradnam
Congratulations!
International
We enjoyed a traditional raclette with visitors from Zurich, joined in the National
Day village celebrations and our Young Leaders designed their own Escape Rooms!
For many of them, it was their first experience of World Guiding and they have
returned enthused and excited (and planning the next international trip!)
Ruth Clery
Adelboden,
Switzerland
In July 2019, 23 from the 4th Shirley set off for Adelboden. Despite two of our girls
having significant disabilities, everybody was able to join in all the activities
(except rolling down the hill in front of Our Chalet!) – zip-wiring, high ropes,
tobogganing, paddling in Lake Oeschinensee, a chocolate show in Interlaken and ofcourse visits to Our Chalet and the woodcarver.
New Addington
Guides visit
Austria
The scene at Addington Village on the morning of 31st July was one of
international scarves, passports, health forms, medication and fond goodbyes.
We journeyed to Dover and embarked on the ferry crossing to the delight of the
girls who hadn’t travelled across the English Channel before.
Arriving in Calais we started our journey down to Itter, in the Tyrol of Austria. Our
travelling time was 16 hours, stopping for the essential pitstops, through the night
and early morning to arrive in Worgel which is the main town near Itter.
Our first full day we had a great
morning, rafting down the River Inn and
enjoying a BBQ at the rafting centre.
Day 2 had us visiting the Swarovski
World of Crystals, where the girls were
mesmerised by the enormous number of
exhibits within the world of crystals.
Day 3 saw our girls flying high in the sky
paragliding. The weather was glorious,
and each girl descended and landed
with a huge smile.
Day 4 saw us tobogganing - what an
adventure that was and one never to be
forgotten! Day 5 saw us visit Salzburg for a full
day of sighting seeing - the highlight
of the day being the boat ride down
the River Inn.
Day 6 wow the Upside-Down House.
A must do, girls were so disoriented
with the house and found it very
challenging, as did the adults.
Our last full day was spent walking
the amazing Vorderkaiser gorge
where at the end we had a train
ride to the wood carvers. The
woodcarver’s house was like ‘the
house Jack built’.
Our last day we spent at the hotel’s swimming pool where the girls and adults
chilled before our long journey home.
Our trip was adventurous, exciting and most of all enjoyed by all!!
Eileen Beaney
International
Rangers
On 23rd June we were blessed with a lovely sunny day. The intrepid climbers met
and set off for the challenge ahead.
After stopping for a cheeky Costa (Dutch courage) we suddenly found ourselves
sitting in the video area watching the rules and regs. This was getting real.
Next, we went to be kitted out with our safety vest and harness and we were off.
It is very steep and surprisingly bouncy like a trampoline, but you are not allowed
to bounce. There are a series of locks all the way up (and down) that you have to
manoeuvre while climbing.
Getting to the top was amazing. The views stunning.
The descent was a bit scarier but fun all the same. We did it and had an amazing
time.
Thank you, Jack Petchey, for giving us the opportunity to do something a little
different.
Maggie Turner
1st Thornton Heath
‘Power’ Rangers
take on the O2
Midweek breaks
In 2018 and 2019 Croydon South Trefoil members had the opportunity to join our
midweek ‘cultural’ breaks which were masterminded by one of our members,
Sandra Hill. She did such a great job that the job of Holiday Rep is now hers. Lots
of research into all aspects of our trip was required so that we could just get on a
train and enjoy ourselves. Therefore huge thanks to Sandra and we are looking
forward to our 2020 trip!
In 2018 nine of us visited the
wonderful city of Liverpool.
We went for a tour around the
city on an open top bus, visited
the now very upmarket former
docks and had a boat trip on
the Mersey.
We also visited the brilliant
Terracotta Army exhibition, the
Slavery Museum, the Beatles
Story, the Liverpool Museum
and even fitted in a short rail
trip out to Crosby to see Antony
Gormley’s iron men statues.
Twelve members of our Guild
made the rail trip to York during
the exceptionally hot summer
last year.
We fitted a lot into our stay,
visiting the Jorvik Viking Centre,
Fairfax House, The Shambles
(lots of Harry potter influence
here), Treasurer’s House and
Gardens, Cold War Bunker,
Clifford Tower, Goddard’s House
and Gardens, York Minister, River
Cruise, Van Gogh Immersive
Experience, National Railway
Museum. Ghost Hunt Tour and
York open market.
Trefoil Guild
Title text
Thank You Carole!
End of a 5 year term of Office as Croydon
Trefoil Chair - presentation to Carole
Simpson by Anne Pilkington on behalf of all
Croydon Guilds.
Shirley Trefoil Guild visited the Mayfield Lavender Farm in July - enjoying the
colourful spectacle on a glorious sunny afternoon! After lunch in the nearby
Cafeteria, we walked to the Diamond Riding Centre, where we were given a tour
of the training arena and shown all the facilities. Riding for the Disabled was the
chosen Charity for Trefoil in the UK and it was good to see the results of our help
with funding.
Carole Simpson
Lavender Farm
Trefoil Guild
Title text
Duke of Edinburgh
and Queen’s
Guide Awards
Since the last edition of Crocus, the DofE Club has helped several Rangers and
Young Leaders to complete their DofE Awards.
Bronze Awards: Megan Bradnam, Elizabeth Bradnam, Ellie Allum, Amy Baverstock,
Eleanor Buxton and Kathryn Hyne.
Silver Awards: Megan and Elizabeth Bradnam.
Gold Awards: Lizzie Saunders, Beth Keyzer, Charlotte Smith and Rachel Nottage.
Queen’s Guide Award: Lizzie Saunders worked for her Queen’s Guide alongside
her Gold DofE and gained both Awards at the same time.
Congratulations to all of them!
Jennifer Long
WELL DONE!
To Jennifer Long who was presented with her
50 year Long Service Award on 25th
September by Jo Wheeler (County
Commissioner).
Jennifer is the leader with the Croydon Scout
& Guide D of E club and also the Queen’s
Guide Adviser and was for many years the
Leader of a Guide Unit in Shirley.
Long Service Awards
WELL DONE!
To Eileen Beaney who
was presented with her
40 year long Service
Award at a surprise party
at her Guide Unit in July.
Eileen does amazing
work supporting and
running units in New
Addington.
Congrats!
Follow our adventures and find out how you can get involved:
https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved/
https://www.girlguidingcroydon.org/
https://www.facebook.com/girlguidingcroydon/
https://twitter.com/GuidingCroydon