Girlguiding Anglia Centenary Blog
Welcome to the Girlguiding Anglia Centenary Blog - here we will add photographs, updates and information on the Centenary Celebrations happening across the Anglia Region.If you would like to tell us about how you are celebrating our 100 year Birthday, click here to email the Anglia Region Office with your Centenary story and photographs (please make sure permission is received for photographs).
Bucks100Fest, 1-4 August 2010
1000 Guides, Senior Section members and their leaders celebrated the C
entenary with their own festival style camp - Bucks100Fest. The four day camp started with special centenary crafts and activities including making memory books, burning names onto wooden discs for attaching to the totem poles which will be erected in the county to celebrate the centenary, tasting favourite camp food and many more. This was followed by the opening ceremony and dancing to a disco.
During the following days there was a huge range of activities for everyone to try in the four activity zones - Creativity, Physical, Go Wild and Blast off. Whether they were making giant lanterns, climbing spider mountain, swinging through the trees on the high ropes course or walking on custard there were happy faces all around the campsite.
In Blast Off zone there were many experiments to take part in and learn about as well as the opportunity to speak to people from around the world via the amateur radio station. Go Wild was the zone where you could do just that! There was space hopper football, giant inflatables and many activities where you could use up your energy! Creativity was where everyone's artistic skills were used. There were all sorts of lanterns and creations being made from willow, tissue paper and recycled stickers. You could also have your face painted or your hand covered with a henna pattern. In the Physical zone you could try climbing, crate stacking, high ropes course, archery and many other activities. There was also the opportunity to see what Guides of the past did by visiting the heritage exhibition.
In the evenings there was our own Fest Factor competition won by Grace singing Ben along with disco dancing and a great performance by the cast of the High Wycombe Gang Show.
All too soon the event came to an end with the closing ceremony and finale with a fantastic fire show and fireworks.
GIRLGUIDING ESSEX SOUTH EAST CENTENARY CAMP
100 Not Out - nearly 500 Guides, Senior Section members and their Leaders attended Essex South East's Centenary camp in Chelmsford 8-13 August. The girls took part in activities including rafting, climbing, abseiling, archery, It's a Knockout, inflatables and international activities. They also had the opportunity to spent 24hours in a 1910 experience, sleeping on beds made of hay in bell tents, cooking on fires and wearing clothes similar to those the 1910 Guides would have worn. In the evenings the girls to part in talent shows, discos, a night-time It's A Knockout and a campfire. Visit the Girlguiding Essex South East website to see more photographs from this event.
WOW, GIRLGUIDING ESSEX NORTH EAST Celebrates 100 years!
On 17th July 2010 over 3,000 members of Girlguiding Essex North East came together for their Centenary Spectacular - WOW 100! From the youngest Rainbows through to the oldest members of the Trefoil Guild, all enjoyed a day of activities, entertainment, fun and celebration as the Girlguiding County came together at the Tendring Hundred Show Ground in Essex to celebrate our 100th year.
The event was three years in the planning and at the start of the Centenary year, Bonnie Hill, Girlguiding Essex North East's County Commissioner challenged all members to achieve their own "mountain-top" moment as a way of remembering what they were doing as Girlguiding turned 100. Many mountain-top moments have been reached over the course of the year so far but the event at Tendring achieved many more.
Molly Payne, aged 11 from 2nd Black Notley Guides, winner of the Guiding Star talent competition at the event, wowed the audience with her rendition of ‘On My Own' from Les Miserable. The competition, judged by Bonnie Hill and local Eurovision star, Josh Dubovie, who later sang at the event, saw girls from all over the county entertaining the crowd with a variety of musical performances.
Molly said, "It was the most amazing time. The stage was brilliant, just like ones I've seen on the TV at things like the V Festival, I couldn't believe it! The support from everyone was really great too. I loved everyone chanting my name as I sang my song. Then, after I'd won Josh, presented me with my certificate and gave me a hug!"
Apart from "WOW"ing the crowd in the Arena, Molly, along with the other members of Essex North East, had spent the day taking part in 
various activities like circus skills, bungee trampolining and archery plus had the opportunity to try out many new crafts. Jacky Marsh, 14 from 1st West Bergholt Guides really enjoyed the Arena activities, "I loved the dog agility shows and the singing and dancing. The circus skills were brilliant to; the bikes and stilts were really good fun. When the activities closed and we all gathered in the Arena, it was an amazing sight. A day I'll always remember."
Julie Saffrey, Welshwood District Commissioner said, "All of the girls and leaders from Welshwood District had a great time. One of our
brownies, Rebecca Sherlock, aged 7, from 19th Colchester, said the best bit was all of it! You can't get a better recommendation than that! It really was WOW!!"
The day ended with Josh Dubovie and local band, Twisted Logistics, having everyone on their feet dancing. Well, nearly everyone, there were one or two Rainbows, exhausted after their wonderfully exciting day, who actually managed to sleep through the music, singing and dancing! But what an end to a truly memorable day.
Jenny Humphrey, Harwich District Commissioner said, "It was brilliant. Everyone has been talking about it. The coach was really buzzing on the way home. The Brownies loved the craft and the inflatables and the Guides and Senior Section thoroughly enjoyed the concert in the evening. A really good day with great memories for everyone."
Girls Celebrate 100 Years With 'Gig In A Field'
Over 450 Guides and Senior Section members from across Anglia held their own mini festival - Gig in a Field. The event which took place from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 July at Grange Farm near Peterborough is one of hundreds of activities and trips taking place this year to celebrate 100 years of Girlguiding UK.
Organised entirely by girls and young women aged 14 to 25, the weekend included activities and entertainment like live music, drumming workshops, raft building, sumo wrestling, bungee running, a silent disco, hydrosphering and off-road driving.
On top of all the fun and adventurous activities, the girls and young women were responsible for themselves for the entire weekend, from setting up the camp, cooking all of their own meals to organising their own programme. They were even challenged to present their views on the future of the organisation to key adult volunteers from Girlguiding Anglia.
Pippa Gardner, 20, coordinated all of the girls and young women who helped to organise the event, she said: "Gig in a Field is a combination of a music festival with all the best bits of a Guide camp - there are lots of live bands and creative workshops in a safe, girl-only space. All the decisions about the event have been made by young women and it's been a fantastic chance for the volunteer team to learn lots of new skills."
Click here to see photographs from this event.
Girlguiding Anglia Centenary Garden Party, Saturday 5 June 2010
More than 400 Girlguiding Anglia volunteers attended a fun-filled Garden Party at Hautbois in Norfolk to celebrate the Centenary and all the amazing things our volunteers do for guiding in the Anglia Region.
Adult members, volunteers, Trefoil Guild members, Queen's Guides and even the Chief Guide took part in the Decades Challenge, they could be seen bouncing around on space hoppers, sliding along on grass skis and sending cryptic message by semaphore flags. Those attending basked in the sunshine on the Hautbois lawn and enjoyed live music entertainment and a special tableau performed by a group of BP Challenge girls.
Jackie Hobson, a Vice President for Girlguiding Suffolk and a Trefoil Guild member said: "I am having a brilliant time, it is really, really good. The best thing about volunteering for Girlguiding Anglia is the terrific opportunities we can offer to all the girls".
Click here to find out more about volunteering for Girlguiding UK.
Counties celebrate the Girlguiding UK Centenary
On Saturday 15 May 2010, 4,000 rainbows, brownies, guides and rangers descended on Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, to mark the milestone anniversary.Girlguiding Oxfordshire. Thousands of girl guides renewed their promise to "do their best" as they celebrated 100 years of the movement, click here for the full story.
Rainbows celebrate the Centenary at the Hautbois Princess Parties, 8 & 9 May 2010
Rainbows from across Anglia joined more than 450 other princesses-for-the-day on the 8th and 9th May at Hautbois residential and activity centre in Norfolk to celebrate 100 years of guiding.
Rainbows, the youngest age group in Girlguiding UK, and their leaders got the chance to dress up as princesses, spend the day in their own purpose-built castle and take part in activities like medieval dancing, tiara making, princess treasure hunts and a maze! The girls had lots of input into planning the party including choosing the games and activities. The party was one of a number of ‘Princess parties' on offer for girls as part of Girlguiding UK's Centenary. We still have two more fantastic Rainbow events coming up before the end of the year, Rainbows Kentwell Michealmas Extravaganza in September and Gulliver's Winter Wonderland in November.
Click here to see all the photographs from this magical event.
Twinlakes Spectacular, 24 April 2010
Girls from Girlguiding Anglia joined more than 180 other Rainbows at Twinlakes Spectacular! - an event for Rainbows at family theme park Twinlakes in Leicestershire. The event on Saturday 24 April was one of hundreds of events taking place across the UK to mark the first 100 years of guiding.
More than 180 Rainbows, the youngest age group in Girlguiding UK, got the chance to enjoy a quest maze, zip slides, visiting the big animal farm and a ride on the Treasure Island express train. A falconry show just for the Rainbows and their Leaders provided a mountain-top moment for the girls to mark their Centenary year. The adventure day was one of a number of events on offer for girls as part of the Centenary. 
Lily-Anne, 7, said: ‘I had fun on the roller coaster and even went on the big Buffalo ride, I also liked the bird he flew very low and I had to duck!'
Event organiser Jill Crowson said: ‘This is our first of four big events for Rainbows that are taking place around the Anglia Region throughout the year. Our aim is to show the Rainbows the bigger picture of the guiding family of which we all belong and to help them have some exciting adventures with their friends along the way!'.
Click here to see more pictures taken on the day.
Ipswich East & West Division Thinking Day 
The event was held on the stage at the Regent Theatre Ipswich on 21st February 2010, each District was asked to do a 'spot' on stage depicting various things such as 'How Guiding has changed from 1910 to 2919", "How Guiding is different in the UK to other countries" and the importance of commemorating 100 years of Guiding as well as covering the 4 World Centres. The event also celebrated the Birthday of Baden-Powell.
It was a fabulous day with a great turn out - over 800 attended from Rainbows to over 80 year old Trefoil members! Click here to see more photographs taken on the day.
ONE WORLD ONE BEAT
Girlguiding Anglia marked Girlguiding UK's Centenary World Thinking Day with a high-energy performing arts festival called One World One Beat. Girls and young women from across Anglia gathered at Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, in Hertfordshire, to mark one of the most significant dates in the guiding calendar. World Thinking Day is an opportunity ten million Guides and Girl Scouts in 145 countries around the world to think about the diversity of the worldwide membership and show appreciation for each other's lives.
Girls and young women spent the day taking part in a number of inspiring music, dance and drama workshops from around the world, including Indian dancing, African drumming, samba percussion and circus skills.
Rebecca Honeysett, 6, from 1st Pin Green Rainbows said: "I want to do it all again. I had so much fun meeting other Rainbows and making noise on the African drum".
To see more pictures from this event visit our facebook page. To see footage taken at the event visit our video page.
EUROLIFE
A group of Girlguiding UK members aged 14 - 18 joined Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Finland and Germany to celebrate the Centenary at the beginning of 2010. Held at Castle Rieneck near Frankfurt, the event saw participants take part in a range of activities as well as forging friendships that will last a lifetime. As well as adventurous and international activities, participants were exploring the idea of advocacy by creating a project based on one of three Millennium Development Goal topics - HIV/AIDS, Education for All and Environment.
'I thought that the advocacy project was a really good idea as it raised awareness within guiding which will be transferred to other people in different countries.. it was also a fun and creative way of learning about world issues and at the same time trying to do something about it'
New Year's Eve was celebrated with a gala dinner and party followed by the seeing in of the New Year on top of the castle tower with a spectacular firework show.
'I thought that all the people I met were amazing and I loved them all, most of them I am still speaking to over facebook...' Millie Groves
GIRLGUIDING ESSEX WEST TRIP TO DISNEYLAND PARIS
St Pancras Station London, became a launch pad when the Eurostar train was turned into a Magic Carpet, whisking more than 750 Brownies, Guides, Senior Section girls and their leaders to Disneyland Paris for the weekend.The trip was the first of a series of events arranged by Essex West as part of their Centenary Celebrations.
One of the most magical parts of the trip happened on Sunday morning when the whole group filled the Fantasy Festival Stage at Disneyland for a special Centenary show by girls fr
om the County. During the show, possibly for the first time, most of the Unit flags from the County were paraded into the theatre for a renewal of Promise by all the members.
Our girls received heaps of praise from the staff at the resort for the way they behaved while having heaps of fun. They were without doubt a wonderful advertisement for our movement. The trip, which was two years in the planning, provided a memorable Mountain Top moment for everyone who took part.
STARBURST 2010
Over 1,600 girls from across Anglia took over Butlins in Skegness for Starburst 2010 - an adventure weekend exclusively for Brownies. The action-packed weekend chosen by the Brownies, on 15-17 January, included dancing, circus skills, archery, swimming, karaoke and bowling. On the Saturday night X Factor finalists 'Same Difference' entertained the crowds at the Red Coat Party! To see more pictures from this event visit our facebook page.
GIRLGUIDING UK BIG GIG
I always knew that there were a lot of Guides, but when you see Wembley Arena Packed with us, then you realise just how many there are.
The arena was full of neon clothes, bunny ears, cowboy hats and wands. When the first note was struck there was cheering like thunder, and Pixie Lott sang her songs. There was more cheering when the presenters, Sam and Mark, came on stage. The next artist was X factor winner Alexandra Burke. The performers kept on coming, Chipmunk, JLS, Tinchy Stryder, The Saturdays, Alphabeat and The Noisettes.
The atmosphere was amazing and like nothing I've ever been to before. When the gig was over people rushed to get signed posters of JLS, the most popular performers, and souvenirs of the show.
Gemma - 2nd North Walsham GuidesGIRLGUIDING ANGLIA 'ROCKED IT!'
On Saturday 3rd October over 1400 members of Girlguiding Anglia took over a performance of the hit musical ‘We Will Rock You' at the Dominion Theatre in London. The event was especially for older Guides, Senior Section members (girls aged 14-26) and young at heart adults to celebrate the Centenary of Girlguiding UK. Below is a special message from Rachel, Pippa and Lora the event organisers: "We would just like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who came to We Will Rock You and supported the event. As organisers we had a brilliant time, and hoped that you all did too. There was most certainly an atmosphere of excitement and celebration in the place, and I think we put guiding on the map for being an up-beat organisation, ready to rock!Thank you all for the support, and enthusiasm.... hopefully we can make this the start of something bigger to come in the future."
Gemma, from 2nd North Walsham Guides said: "We all met up and walked to the Dominion Theatre and got our seats. I've been to loads of theatre productions but there's never been as much cheering, clapping and noise as this. The show was brilliant but I couldn't wait for the interval. Not because I wanted an ice-cream but because my sister and I were going to meet the cast! When the interval came we shot up the stairs and into the foyer. We were led up red carpeted steps, through a door and there they were! The cast was sitting in front of us ready to answer questions and sign autographs. The second half was as fantastic as the first and the applause was like thunder. Once the show was over we trooped outside and on the coach. Some people fell asleep on the way home, but how they slept through the singing I'll never know. But what I do know is that, that was the greatest show ever!" 
Girlguiding Essex North East Launch Parties
Chelmsford had a big display in one of the town's shopping centres with Units running half hour activities throughout the day and also had a shop that they dressed with old and new memorabilia. The Chelmsford Launch picture was taken on the steps of the Shire Hall in Chelmsford showing 100 girls wearing tshirts with 100 different words that they had thought of that said what Guiding means to them.
Dr Sarah Jarvis from the One Show visited Hatfield Peverel's launch. An ex-brownie herself, she too
k part in the various activities they'd organised for the girls and spoke really positively about what she got from being a member and how that had helped her achieve her goals and become a doctor.
Girlguiding Essex South East Launch
At Belchamps campsite, Hawkwell, members of Girlguiding Essex South East joined over 550,000 girls and women in the UK's biggest birthday bash of the year, the launch of Girlguiding UK's Centenary celebrations. The action packed event took place on the 5th September, and was one of over 500 hundred taking place at the same time throughout the UK to mark the first 100 years of Guiding.
Over 3000 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Senior Section members, Adult volunteers, Trefoil Guild members and their guests gathered at the campsite for an afternoon of activities and fun. On offer to the party-goers were adventurous activities including climbing, high ropes, crate stacking, pedal carts, bouncy castle, It's a Knockout, archery and abseiling. Plus there were activities for the more creative including nail art, face painting and circus skills!
The party started at 3pm, and finished at 8pm, but not before the 3000 attendees, aged from 5 to 85, gathered together for a huge campfire followed by a spectacular 20 minute celebratory firework display.
The event was visited by MP for Southend West and Girlguiding Ambassador, David Amess, who spent time talking to the girls about what they
had been taking part in throughout the afternoon.
Megan, 12, from 4th Eastwood Guides said: "I really enjoyed decorating cakes and had lots of fun on It's a Knockout playing all the team games with my friends. The best bit of the day was the fireworks at the end because they were big and colourful."
Lauren, 17, from Nemesis Senior Section unit in Billericay said: "I thought that the day was a fun way to celebrate a once in a life time occasion. The best part of the day was sitting by the campfire, singing songs and then watching a firework display among 3,000 people. It was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed!"
Becky, 21, Brownie Guider from Westcliff said: "3000 females, who have all made their Guide promise,
in one field was an amazing sight, especially when they were all smiling and happy! The whole afternoon was great fun both for the girls and for the adults, and gave them opportunities to do so many different activities! My Brownies loved the abseiling and the bouncy castle!"
Karen Packer, the Centenary Champion for Girlguiding Essex South East, says: "It was a brilliant day. It was fantastic to see 3000 people from the local area joining together for this huge celebration and enjoying themselves, and shows how well Guiding is doing in the local community. It was a real privilege to share this huge part of Guiding history with so many people, and even more so to have been part of the team who organised this celebration."
The guiding movement began in 1909 when a small group of young women gate crashed the Boy Scout rally at Crystal Palace Park in London and lobbied Robert Baden-Powell for ‘something for the girls'. The Centenary is an opportunity to celebrate the impact that the organisation has made on the lives of girls and young women and how modern guiding continues to support over half a million members around the UK to make new friends, develop skills and achieve their full potential in a unique girl only space. Locally, girls take part in activities such as camps, adventure holidays and sleepovers, international travel, community action and performing arts.
Bedfordshire Launch Party 
Over 2500 people attend a fantastic Launch Party in Luton. The opening ceremony include an appearance by Baden-Powell ( well one of our Ambassadors playing the role) when 1909 style Guides told him very firmly "' We want something for the girls" causing mass cheers from the crowd.After a specially written Guiding Light poem was read we well and truly launched the Centenary with a sparkle and streamers firework display.
During the day everyone had a great time on the bouncy castles, big games, circus skills workshops, Tae Kwondo, camp fire singing, recycling bus, media bus and heritage displays. The new County web site was launched and 2500 slices of cake were eaten. Gaz, Babs and Adam,the Breakfast Show presenters on Heart FM Radio, provided dance sessions throughout t
he day and a spectacular disco for everyone at the end. We were very lucky that Rosie was able to join us in the afternoon and she took part in the finale which included a specially written song learnt at the camp fire singing and ten doves being released. All this was masterminded by our Centenary Champion Betsy Marley.
Click here to see many more photographs on the Bedfordshire County website.
Celebrations in Cambs West
Every division took up the challenge to hold their own Centenary celebrations.
Our own Activity Centre in Abbots Ripton was really buzzing as Huntingdon Division celebrated and took over the lodge and field for the weekend. Their activity day held on the Saturday was a great success and the division camp held over that weekend was enjoyed by all. St Neots held a campfire with over 100 members celebrating with a fun campfire. St Ives also held a fun day for their launch on the 5th September, with activities, craft, campfire singing followed by a party tea and disco.
Peterborough North East held a launch event on the 13th September with crafts with a centenary theme and activities ranging from country dancing to street dancing. Two local Trefoil Guild groups also joined them for afternoon tea. Peterborough North held their centenary party on the 21st September with party games, party poppers and a picnic the complete with jelly. A noisy but fun afternoon.
Two divisions, Ermine Street and South Nene took their members on Centenary trips to Wickstead Park and Whipsnade zoo, a great day out for everyone. As well as all of these wonderful opportunities to celebrate the centenary, there have been district events and many units holding their own launch parties. Everyone's had the chance to celebrate and party as our centenary year gets underway.
Girlguiding Buckinghamshire Centenary Launch
2500 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Senior Section members and adult volunteers from across the whole of Buckinghamshire gathered in the grounds of Cottesloe School in Wing to celebrate the Centenary of Guiding with a giant launch party.
The day started with a sea of red, yellow, blue and raspberry coming through our special gateway as the girls poured off the coaches which had brought everyone from around the county. Everyone was looking forward to the day with a sense of excitement and anticipation.
We all took part in a day of activities including climbing wall, taking part in a karaoke, having a go at playing in a
steel band, maggot racing, and an inflatable obstacle course. Everyone also enjoyed watching a falconry display and a sheepdog display with a difference - they rounded up ducks instead of the usual sheep! Aunt Julie's circus skills saw the youngest to the oldest trying to juggle or spin plates and the younger members particularly enjoyed the entertainment from Mr Panda and Rainbow Bigbottom! A steam engine owned by a local resident visited the party and gave members rides and we also had visits from the local fire brigade and police. The event finished a giant session of parachute games followed by a disco where the young and the not so young enjoyed dancing to hits old and new.
Emily, a Brownie form the 1st Marlow unit said "I had a great time and the disco at the end was fantastic"
Joy, a Guide from 3rd Marlow said "It was lots of fun and we met Guides from many other groups. It was a great experience"
Florence, a member of Wing Rangers, said "It is really fun and interesting and we get to meet new people".
A parent of Bethany, a member from Aston Clinton, said "Bethany really enjoyed herself - she hasn't stopped talking about it and showing us her disco dancing routines! It sounds like a fantastic afternoon and I am very envious."
At the party we also announced the winners of our special Centenary poetry competition and the first copies of the book were on sale.
Girlguiding Hertfordshire Centenary Launch Brithday Bash - 5 September 2009
At the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, girls and adult volunteers from Girlguiding Hertfordshire joined over 550,000 girls and women in the UK's biggest birthday bash of the year, the launch of Girlguiding UK's Centenary celebrations. The action packed event on the 5th September was one of hundreds that took place at the same time throughout the UK to mark the first 100 years of guiding.
Nearly 100 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section girls (aged 5- 26) from across Hertfordshire took part in a spectacular show for guiding leaders and local VIPs to launch 
the start of their celebrations of Girlguiding UK's Centenary year. The girls danced and sang and shared what they have been up to for the past year, taking part in the ambitious community action project ‘Girlguiding UK: Changing the World'. They even got the audience to make it rain (or at least sound like it). The show finale, with a giant jigsaw of the globe on stage declared "Guiding is a jigsaw: the pieces may differ but the picture is the same worldwide". The show was the highlight of the weekend for 200 adult volunteers who were at the University to take part in a range of activities from knitting to kayaking with a gala dinner to say thank you for all their efforts in supporting the movement. Sue Rees, a Guide leader from Welwyn Garden City and one of the show organisers said, "It was a fantastic celebration showcasing everything that guiding is about - it was modern, vibrant and fun with the girls centre stage. The girls were all brillian
t - from the youngest Rainbow to the most laid-back Senior Section member - they were all grinning from ear-to-ear and revelling in being part of one huge party. I'm sure they'll remember being part of the Centenary Launch for along, long time."
"Performing was really fun and I enjoyed working with the other girls" said Lucy Dodge, aged 13, a guide from Hatfield. She went on "Being a guide and being part of this event was, and is, fantastic - thank you Guiders!"
At the end of the show Karen Smale, a Brownie leader from Potters Bar commented, "Don't you feel so proud to be part of this? You just want to bottle it and give it away!"
Girlguiding Cambs East Centenary Launch Party - 5 September 2009
After years of planning and hard work by our small team of volunteers, headed by Maureen Dye, Girlguiding Cambridgeshire East launched the Centenary in style as thousands of girls raced around the city centre completing a Monopoly-style challenge - Guideopoly. Teams of Brownies, Guides and Senior Section members had a go at circus skills, balloon modelling, giant bubble making whilst trying to collect the most money, whilst Rainbows stayed on site at The Møller Centre and Churchill College having fun with parachutes, balloons and sports activities. All the girls had such a great time and enjoyed making a human Centenary 100 logo!
Vice Presidents, Ambassadors and special guests, including 98 year-old Ruby Wright, the oldest past member in the county joined us for an evening celebration which included Queen's Guide and Baden-Powell Challenge presentations and an amazing musical firework display to really begin with a bang!!!
Sue Carpenter, County Commissioner, said: ‘‘Our Launch Party shows what guiding in Cambridgeshire East is all about. Everywhere, there were happy, smiling faces and the sound of laughter and excitement from the youngest Rainbow to our oldest member. It was a wonderful start to our 100th birthday celebrations, and really highlights the importance of the unique girl-only space we provide for thousands of girls in the county'. 
Guides Countdown 100 - 23 to 30 August 2009
The Centenary year got off to a fantastic start with the Guides Countdown 100 camp at Hautbois Residential and Acitivity Centre in Coltishall. Click here to read their daily blog and see pictures from all the exciting activities they took part in and the Carnival finale.
Guides Countdown 100 Poem by Mary Putt
We came and camped at Hautbois and we stayed here for a week.
We helped the girls to party and we didn't get much sleep
We made up sick buckets for the coaches and counted Guides out and back
We sorted, showers, clothes and paperwork, went shopping for the gaz!
And we hiked between the sub camps until we ached and had sore feet
And the catering team they fed us ‘til our zips, they didn't meet
And then the girls went home again and we waved them all good bye
And the reward, well in their faces - oh and a tic nerve in my eye!