Girlguiding is thriving in Shirley. Many girls and volunteers take part in an incredible range of activities every week, with most of the groups oversubscribed and with a long waiting list. The girls range from 5 – 26 with Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section members. Girlguiding has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1909, but it still holds the same values of excitement and adventure that it was set up with.
Guiding is far more exciting than it may sound at first. Although, admittedly, girl guides may occasionally do some sewing, they do a lot more besides! The Rainbows are always busy and have recently been on an outing to London. They also enjoy sleepovers and enjoyable activities when they meet every week. In the recent past, the Brownies held a fancy dress party for their friends, and they tasted food from around the world. In addition to this, they prepared harvest boxes for the festival at St John’s church. The Guides are always having fun! They went to the Big Gig at Wembley Arena which is a pop concert just for Guides at which the likes of Little Mix, Union J and Conor Maynard performed. The Shirley Rangers had the fantastic opportunity to take part in an international trip to Iceland in the summer, and it was attended by 9 girls and 4 leaders. The girls were lucky enough to see some beautiful sites such as geysers, waterfalls and mountains. They also saw the sites of Reykjavik and went whale watching.
Girlguiding in Shirley is always growing with multiple Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Senior Section groups. Guiding is a fantastic way of trying activities you would otherwise never try, whilst meeting new friends and spending time with old ones. What could you gain from Guiding?