Enjoying the Hot and Sunny Weather!

Carisbrooke Guides and Brownies have been enjoying fun activities outdoors in the good weather of this Summer.

 Several visits to Island beaches a visit to Shanklin Chine and a Bivvy and Breakfast camp are just a few of the events undertaken by the Guides whilst the Brownies have also been to the beach and exploring the Carisbrooke area and getting very wet on a very hot day thanks to water games. One of the groups from Carisbrooke Guides were the winners of the Squirrel Trophy following an outdoor cooking competition open to Guides across the Island.

Helping the community is always near the top of a Girlguiding list and Carisbrooke Guides recently made a visit to the Mountbatten Hospice where they spent the evening planting up flower containers with seasonal flowers for the patients, staff and visitors to enjoy.  One of the leaders has made regular visits to the Hospice watering the containers and by August there was a splendid display for everyone to enjoy.

Fruit cocktails were on the menu for the Brownies at one of their meetings. These followed games and activities on a warm sunny evening and were enjoyed by all the girls.  They also made a return visit to Nature Zones at Blackwater to see how the trees they planted for HM The Queen’s Green Canopy were progressing.

Brownies from Ryde and Binstead undertaking their annual sandcastle competition on Ryde beach.

Sandown Brownies visited Osborne House as well as having other outdoor meetings and East Cowes Brownies selected ‘Monsters’ to make for badge work- looking at recycling and using again plus learning about plants. They also joined with East Cowes Rainbows and Guides for a ‘Jubilee Tea.’

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides from the Newport units have also been busy and enjoying the outdoors and Newport Guides joined with The Bay Guides for a camp.

At the end of July units in the Newport and Carisbrooke area dressed as “Where’s Wally” in Newport’s 100th Carnival procession. They won a 2nd prize in the Community class.

Carisbrooke Rangers travelled to Norfolk for a camp.

Celebrating the Girl Guide experiences of Her Majesty The Queen this Living History camp held at the Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum, Norfolk, was based on Guide activities in the 1940s when HM The Queen and Princess Margaret were Guides and Rangers.

Girlguiding Norfolk staged this six-day 1940s Guide Camp with activities based on the challenges the then Princess Elizabeth would have tackled as a Guide and, later, a Sea Ranger.  There was also a session on car mechanics, which the Princess learned while serving with the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) during the Second World War. Guides and Rangers taking part in the camp ‘travelled ‘back in time to experience living in the 1940s, with equipment, uniforms and activities tailored to that era.

Island members, Shannon Attfield, Holly Taylor, Coral Hatcher and Tessa Bryson all from Carisbrooke Rangers travelled to Norfolk with their Leader Emily Sparrow. On arrival they transformed into 1940s Guides and Rangers by wearing 1940s uniforms.

Activities included: Skinning and cooking rabbits; Car maintenance; Mastering different signals on a bosun’s whistle; Trying out 1940s hair styles; Having a Royal tea party and Scottish dancing; An incident hike to test how prepared the girls were and Crafts from that time – knitting, making lanyards and netting.

Back row, l-r, Tessa in Guide uniform, Emily Sparrow, Ranger leader, Coral in Sea Ranger uniform.

Front row l-r, Shannon and Holly, both in Sea Ranger uniform. (1940’s Uniforms)

Back on the Island three members of Carisbrooke Guides have gained Girlguiding’s Gold Awards.  These awards are multi-faceted and involve studying the 6 key topics of the Girlguiding programme: Know myself; Express myself; Be well; Have adventures; Take action and Skills for my Future. They involve at least five hours of participation on chosen topics both individually and at Unit meetings.  Covering a multitude of badges and Skill Builders topics include -Human Rights, Guiding History, Photography, Vlogging, Fitness, Cooking, Navigating, Campaigning and Up-cycling.

Congratulations to (L to R) Bethany Wells, Holly Amey, Ruby Cross. who were presented with their awards by Guide leader Linda Stone.