Things may seem to have been quiet on the international front, recently – but we’ve been very busy in the background!
We’re ready to get back to international after the difficulty of the pandemic, with a fantastic team from across the region. Our team have been working hard encouraging units, districts, and divisions in their area to travel. It was great to see international visits being made by Anglia members in 2023. If you were one of those members and would love to write a blog about your experience, please get in touch with international@girlguiding-anglia.org.uk.
In May, to help us prepare for future international events, we held a tea party for leaders interested in joining leadership teams. This was a wonderful way to meet members who are interested in travel and has enabled us to capture details of those who wish to get involved.
What’s coming up?
March training weekend
There is a training weekend at Hautbois at the beginning of March. This is aimed at leaders who are thinking about undertaking the going away with (GAW) international module. It is also for those who already hold that qualification and are perhaps considering challenging themselves to bigger adventures further away.
International selection weekends
There will be an annual Anglia selection event in October/November, starting in 2024. This will be for girls who have been selected to go on international trips by their counties. We’re currently finalising a choice of events to cover a range of places and activities. We’ll have leadership teams in place in readiness for the selection day. Details of the trips on offer and expected costs will be publicised beforehand, so girls can decide which ones they might be interested in.
India and Switzerland trips
We invited expressions of interest for adult trips to Switzerland and India, the responses were overwhelming! There will be an initial trip to Sangam in August 2024 with others to hopefully follow. There is also likely to be a variety of 2025 trips to Switzerland. These will be held at different times of the year with opportunities to stay at Our Chalet, in Adelboden, or at Kandersteg. We can’t promise enough spaces for everyone that is currently interested but we’ll do our best so please keep us informed if you’d like to be considered.
If you’re interested in either of these trips and haven’t received information following your expression of interest, please get in touch with us at international@girlguiding-anglia.org.uk.
The team and I are really excited to get Anglia on the move again and we’re working hard to ensure our offer is accessible, affordable and inclusive to all our members. Look out for more exciting information coming in 2024.
Best wishes
Tina and the international team.
It feels like such a long time since I last wrote the introduction for Signpost but in that time, you’ve heard from my deputy, Claire, and my assistants, Chris and Charlotte. I hope you enjoyed reading their introductions – there will be more from them to come!
Awards season adventures
I’m typing this introduction whilst in a hotel room before I visit Lincolnshire South for their awards afternoon. I’ve visited a couple of counties recently and been able to thank members personally for the wonderful things they do. Just last weekend, I visited Bedfordshire county for their Valuing Volunteers afternoon tea; it was a pleasure to present awards to some of the members. Congratulations to all members who have received an award recently – it is well deserved. While travelling around the region and meeting more and more members, I’m inspired by the wonderful volunteers we have in Anglia. You’re inspirational… Pass it on. Never a truer word has been spoken.
Yesterday, I was in London at Girlguiding Celebrates. Who doesn’t like the red-carpet treatment? It was excellent meeting a more members from the region from Guiding Stars, Queen’s Guides, Laurel awardees and Silver Fish awardees. Not to mention the volunteers nominated from up and down the region. I’m just sorry that I didn’t get to say hello to a few more of you.
With Christmas approaching (very quickly), I hope you’re enjoying the build up to the festive season and preparing to celebrate with your families. At my Brownies, we’re looking forward to the Odeon showing of Wish and then a special Christmas dinner, Brownie style!
Enjoy the run up to Christmas with your units and, most importantly, enjoy a well-earned break over the Christmas holidays. Raise a glass to yourselves for the amazing and inspirational adventures you have offered girls all over Anglia this year.
Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful 2024.
Karen
- Log onto GO
- Go to My Units
- Select the unit that you wish to update
- Scroll down to the following field:
- Click on the Edit button
- Make the necessary changes to the Unit Capacity (bottom of the new window)
- Click Submit (top of the window)
If you would like to download these instructions, click here.
Welcome to the Autumn term! This term is going to be crammed with lots of exciting activities for you and your units. Take at look at what’s coming over the next few months.
Brownies Go Explore
3 of our wonderful Brownies Go Explore events have already passed. Girls from across the region have had adventures at Shuttleworth air museum, Colchester Zoo and Hautbois Activity Centre.
Just our London trip to go in September, bookings for which are now closed. We can’t wait to see all the fun our Brownies will be having whilst exploring London.
Plus, more and more of you are taking on the Brownies Go Explore challenge pack in your units and at home. Don’t forget to share your photos with us on our social media channels. We always love to see what you’ve been getting up to! Will you be planning the Go Explore challenge into your Autumn term activities?
The challenge pack contains lots of fun and exciting activities based on the different locations of the events and the themes: aviation, conservation, out and about, and landmarks and royals.
Social action challenge
We’ve loved seeing all the feedback from the social action challenge on our social media channels! Have you started planning the challenge into your Autumn term?
If you haven’t had a chance to take a look at the pack yet, click here. You’ll discover all kinds of fun activities to help you empower your girls to become change-makers in their community.
The challenge badges are now available for you to buy from our wonderful region retail shop.
Winter Quest
The Winter Quest is back for 2023, looking shiny and new! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to complete as many of our 24 mini activities this winter as possible. The activities in this pack can be done in a number of ways:
- In unit meetings across the autumn and spring term as a team
- At home as a traditional advent calendar with a challenge every day in December
- At home with family during the winter break away from your Girlguiding family
Our activity suggestions are intended to inspire you. Feel free to adapt them to fit with your unit and that day’s theme. Many of the activities included could also link to the Girlguiding programme.
To complete this badge, you need to complete as many of the 24 activities as possible. There are spots to tick off the activities you’ve completed, to help you keep track of what you’ve done. There are some bigger activities that could fill a whole meeting, and some 5 minute ones that can act as fillers.
The quest pack is ready to go, and our fabulous new badge will be launching soon!
Coming soon
Spot-tacular Children in Need
This year, get ready to make Children in Need absolutely spot-tacular! We’ll be sharing resources to help you fundraise in your units and your local community. We’re also going to be having some exciting events going on. Keep an eye out as we announce more.
UK Parliament week
UK Parliament week is 6 – 12 November 2023. This year we’ll share some great resources you can use to help your girls talk about topics that really matter to them. Keep an eye on our website and social media channels as we share more.
Follow us at:
Facebook | X (formally Twitter) | Instagram | LinkedIn