Girlguiding Anglia News and Events

Rayleigh Windmill is home to an exhibition celebrating the exciting activites that local girls and young women have taken part in over the past 100 years.

Over the years, thousands of girls and young women from the Rayleigh, Hockley and Rochford area have been pushing the boundaries, enjoying new experiences and having their voices heard through guiding. The exhibition will show how guiding has always been at the forefront of providing girls with modern and relevant experiences as well as celebrating the achievements of local members from the very beginnings of the movement through to the modern day.

Visitors to the exhibition can expect to hear about the impact that guiding has made on the Rayleigh, Hockley and Rochford area such as ‘spy watching' in the First World War, taking part in Princess Anne's visit to Rayleigh in 1988, a carnival through the High Street to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Guiding, and the launch of the centenary celebrations with a huge party and firework display at Belchamps.

Sheena Booth who is organising the exhibition said ‘This is a great chance for people to come along and find out more about guiding past and present and why it has been so important to the Rayleigh, Hockley and Rochford area. For 100 years we have been putting girls in the lead and supporting them to have life-changing experiences in a unique girl-only space, whether that is learning out about something new in their weekly meetings or travelling abroad to see another culture. So come along and celebrate with us, you can even find out what guiding could offer you too!'

The exhibition is free and open to the public on Wednesday mornings (10am-1pm), Saturday and Sunday afternoons (1-4pm) until 1^st August.