BedsBuzzAUTUMN 20 11

A GREAT SUMMERYou can see in this bumper editionof BedsBuzz all the wonderfulthings that Guiding members inBedfordshire have been up to thissummer, As you would expectmany events have been outdoors,some local, some further afieldincluding overseas. I have just returned from theCounty weekend at Pax Lodge. Aweekend full of fun, friendship andlovely autumn sunshine, we enjoyedexploring London and learningabout International Guiding. I encourage you all to make themost of the opportunities thatGuiding has, you won’t regret it.Debbie Docherty County Commissioner

Emma WrightCounty Marketing andCommunications Adviser

My new role is County Marketingand Communications Adviser! Weused to be the PR and recruitmentteam, but with the new countystructure we have split. Along withmy team of Division Advisers(which we need more of!) we aim tosupport you with your marketingand PR needs.

Press releases through to promotingGirlguiding in the community andbranding awareness - we are hereto help. I am in the process ofordering more PR giveaway goodiesand hot on the agenda is to lookat providing Division marketingbanners. We want everyone tohave access to corporate materialand be aware of branding so ifyou’re not sure which font to usewhen writing letters home to parentsor have a question on using logo’swe are here to help.

Our team are also responsible forthe annual review publication,Beds Buzz production and theBedfordshire website. We alsoproduce other documents throughoutthe year including an annualactivity pack such as MarshmallowMadness for 2010 and Tea in Beds!We have started work on the nextresource so watch this space!!

My aim is to have a rep from eachDivision as a minimum, and plan tohave a training session at the nextcounty training day. Our teammeets approx 4-5 times a year toplan and discuss the county needs.

If you have any queries or would liketo join our team – please let me know!bedsmandcadviser@hotmail.co.uk

Modern Muse - Pauline Stewart with BedfordshireGirlguides at the Sculpture Gallery, Woburn SEE PAGE 3

Carina Wallace has been awarded the Anglia

Brooch for her outstanding contribution to

Girlguiding Bedfordshire. Carina became a

leader with the 1st Leighton Buzzard Guides in

1974, she still supports the Unit as key user,

Unit Treasurer and Occasional Helper.

In addition she is Treasurer for Leighton Heath

District and South Beds Division, she is also part

of the County Marketing and Communication

Team and in particular she ensures that members

receive the termly mailshot and BedsBuzz

newsletter.

Carina is always supportive of events at District,

Division and County you can find her doing any-

thing from starring in Gang shows to providing

admin. support for County Camp. She is always

willing to help and full of enthusiasm.

We all congratulate her on this welldeserved award.

ANGLIA BROOCH FOR CARINA

Last October we booked at Guiding Headquarters Icando for a session

entitled ‘Rainbows Look at London’ on Saturday 7 May. We also

applied to go onto the forecourt of Buckingham Palace to watch the

Changing of the Guard – a privilege only granted to Guides, Scouts

and the families of military personnel. Little did we know that

Prince William would marry Catherine Middleton on 29 April!

We booked the coach and waited to find out whether we had been

lucky. In the middle of March we finally heard that we had been

granted permission but for only 20 people – we had 19 girls!!!

The great day arrived and Rainbows, leader, and helpers climbed on

the coach and off to Buckingham Palace we went! The flags and

decorations were still in place from the Royal Wedding and lots of

visitors too – the mounted police moved the crowds to let the coach

through and there were lots of clicking cameras as they thought we

were important people being delivered to the palace! With a bit of

persuasion the police allowed us through the gates which were

unlocked with a huge key!

The Coldstream Guards were the ‘old guard’ and the Grenadier

Guards were the ‘new guard’. We were not allowed to sit on the

forecourt and there was to be no talking – the girls were so in awe

of everything they behaved impeccably – I think we took a different

group from those in Caldecote Church Rooms on Monday evenings!!

Amazingly two guards came over and spoke to the girls, one being

the guard who held Prince William’s cap and gloves at the wedding.

The highlight for the girls was when one guard fainted and had to

be taken off the parade!!

After a picnic we went onto Guiding Headquarters for the session

entitled ‘Rainbows look at London’ which comprised of craft activities,

games and a walk back to Buckingham Palace to look at the Victoria

Memorial and have photos taken. A great day was had by all and the

tired but happy Rainbows climbed back on the coach to return to

Caldecote.

To raise money to fund this event we held an Indoor Street Party,

inviting all friends, relations and villagers where the girls did the

entertainment. The girls made invitations, table mats and decorations,

bunting and flags and we raised an incredible £172. The girls each

received a Royal Wedding badge and a Changing of the Guard badge

to put on their uniform.

London Trip for Rainbows

Damascus choir on the road to Haverings!When Bedfordshire Girlguiding heard of the plight of the Damascus

Choir who were visiting the UK on tour from USA, they pulled out

all the stops in the true nature of Girlguiding hospitality.

The churches Charles Wesley Youth Singers and Academy of Saint

Cecelia youth orchestra from Damascus Maryland USA, after a

performance in Bournemouth followed by a concert in Hitchin

travelled to Cheltenham, Camberley, Bristol and Oxford staying

with English families associated with their hosting choirs.

Holy Saviour Hitchin got involved at a fairly late stage of the

planning - arrangements for another venue having fallen through

and managed to find accommodation for many of the group

among the congregation, with help from friends from other

churches and Stevenage Choral Society.

Hearing of the plight of the 100 strong group of 70 young singers

and musicians, with 30 adult chaperones, the Luton South

Division team of Girlguiding volunteers running Haverings

Girlguiding Residential centre in Luton came to the rescue.

“Haverings accommodated 19 of the group in our bunkroom” said

Janet Locke. “A group of Luton South Volunteers organised bedding

and breakfasts for the boys and their leaders and made them feel

at home. One of the leaders staying with us was the Rev. Walter

Edmonds, Senior Pastor of the Damascus-Friendship Parish and

leader of the tour. We were delighted to find that some of the

choir and orchestra are members of the Scout and

Guiding movements”.

Trevor Hughes from Holy Saviour and Vice President

of Stevenage Choral Society said “It was wonderful

that Haverings rescued the remainder in such a gen-

erous gesture!”

Haverings Residential and outdoor Girlguiding Centre

with it’s newly refurbished kitchen and facilities is

set in Slaughter’s Wood - a delightful protected blue-

bell wood on the outskirts of Luton.

The visitors from the choir were greatly impressed

with the Girlguiding premises and the hospitality

they received from the Guiding members.

My thanks to those who generously provided bedding

and meals for the choir at short notice - Your efforts

are very much appreciated.

Diane Butler - Girlguiding Ambassador Bedfordshire

GUIDES INSPIREDBY MODERN MUSEPauline Stewart of Inspirati Ltd and a Modern

Muse, truly inspired her audience of over 50

Senior Section members and Leaders from

Girlguiding Bedfordshire in the spectacular

setting of Woburn Abbey's Sculpture Gallery.

The launch in Bedfordshire of an incentive by

Modern Muse ‘to inspire, inform, invigorate

and motivate young women and girls about

business and entrepreneurship', was hosted

by Her Grace The Duchess of Bedford.

She told young women of Girlguiding

Bedfordshire that "With hard work and deter-

mination, everyone can live their dream" and

went on to say "When you believe in yourself

you can achieve the unbelievable".

Pauline Stewart enthralled her audience with

her anecdotes about inspirational women and

how their passion to succeed has overcome

major obstacles in their lives. She explained

how the 100 most inspirational business-

women in the UK had

come together to form

Modern Muse with their

desire to help and

inspire other women to

achieve their goals.

She then set the girls

the task of writing down

how they thought they

could overcome their

barriers. They formed

into groups for some

enlightening discussions

and were joined by

Pauline Stewart, Her

Grace The Duchess of

Bedford, Debbie Docherty

County Commissioner for Girlguiding

Bedfordshire, and other guests who joined in

the lively debates. The resulting ideas were

written down and the most aspirational

comment by Lizzie was selected to win a

copy of the much admired Modern Muse

book.

Sophie, a Young Leader and young media

spokesperson for Girlguiding Bedfordshire

said "I thought the evening was very inspiring

in terms of our individual success and also

in terms of influencing young women

around the world. Thank you Pauline".

The Duchess of Bedford was thanked for her

participation in the event and presented with

a signed copy of the Modern Muse

Book.

Senior Section members, including

Bedfordshire ASSK representatives,

presented the Duchess and Pauline

with flowers and gifts. Debbie

Docherty thanked everyone for

their contribution to an inspirational

event and hoped that Girlguiding

Bedfordshire would work with her

again in the future.

From experience, we know there are

thousands of wonderful women from

different backgrounds, educational

paths, industries, sectors and job roles

who are great role models; women who

have ability to demonstrate varied and

exciting career options that many girls

and young women do not get to hear

about. With that in mind, we have

launched Modern Muse to inspire the

next generation of female business

leaders and entrepreneurs by showcasing

and engaging successful women from

all walks of business life.

The Modern Muse project's immediate

goal is to reach out to one million girls

over the next three years. The aim is

to open their eyes to the potential of

business as a way of having a fun and

fulfilling life, meet exciting people, and

being more in control of their destiny.

The long term goal is to accelerate the

number of women running businesses

by 100,000 in the next 10 years.

There are 100 Founding Muses, including

14 Patrons, all from diverse backgrounds

and job roles. They are featured in the

Modern Muse Book - a great gift of

inspiration for the young women in

your life - and have been instrumental

to the launch of this project.

We know there are many more inspira-

tional women like them across the UK -

women in business with passion,

dynamism and drive - and we're calling

on you to become a Muse and shape

the future of the next generation. Find

out how you can get involved.

www.modernmuse.co.uk

ABOUT MODERN MUSE

What An Attraction!Drayton Manor Park is home to some of the biggest wettest and

scariest rides around with Shockwave, Europe’s first stand up

roller coaster, Stormforce 10, with a backwards water drop,

Apocalypse voted the scariest ride in the UK by Channel 4's The

Gadget Show, and it is where Rainbows, Brownies and Guides

from Stopsley South District went on a day trip in July this year.

Drayton Manor had been named UK’s Best Children’s Attraction in

2009 and 2010 but has been a favourite day out for our district

for some years. What is good about it is that there is plenty

there to entertain all ages, from small children to the big kids

too. The park is well-laid out and a nice size. You can stroll from

ride to cafe to shop without wearing out your shoe leather. For

smaller children, Thomas the Tank Engine Land and the

zoo are must-visits. The new Ben 10 ride is a fantastic

in-between rollercoaster, for kids who want to try the

larger rides but may well turn green on the likes of

Pandemonium or Shockwave.

As always, the water rides were really popular and where

we experienced the biggest queues. But you can’t beat

them, laughing as your fellow passengers get drenched

then squealing as the water soaks you too.

In seven hours at the park, between us I am sure we tried

our best to cover all the rides; we certainly did all those

we wanted to. We all ended the day with an ice cream,

a treat from the District, which went down well with all.

And apart from the hold ups on the M1 on the way home,

as we got caught up in the Grand Prix traffic, a good day

was had by all, and I think it is fair to say that we will be

back …

Celebrating The Royal Wedding A Royal thanks to Rainbows1st Wilden Rainbows in North Beds were thrilled to receive

personal letters in June from St James’s Palace on behalf of

the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The letters thanked

the Rainbows for the colourful finger-paint cards they had

sent to Prince William and Kate Middleton to congratulate

them on their wedding.

The Rainbows made the cards as part of the 1st Ness Guides

Royal Wedding Challenge. Other activities they enjoyed

included a princess party, making royal crowns and playing

an energetic game of Prince Charming’s Coming.

Brownies Celebrate with a Hat Party3rd Biggleswade Brownies celebrated the Royal

Wedding with a hat parade - and don’t they look

wonderful!

They received personal thanks from the Palace for

all their handmade cards and a lovely picture of the

Royal couple.

The Highlight of the 1st

Stondon Rainbows Royal

Wedding celebration was

the ceremonial cutting

of the wedding cake by

two excited Rainbows.

Wedding Party

The Sweet Smell of Lavender

Our annual outing was spent in the  Hitchin  Lavender

Fields this year. Twenty members and friends enjoyed a

delightful evening wandering through the colourful fields

and enjoyed coffee and cakes in the beautiful renovated

barn.

Katherine Sulch - Chairman, Biggleswade Trefoil Guild

Girlguiding opportunities lastforever as 91 year old Angelawalks the cat walk!

Our Guild decided to organise a Charity Fashion Show in aid of

Willen Hospice. This was sparked off at our planning meeting

where we met Eileen’s sister on holiday from New Zealand.

She was complimented her on her clothes and when she said

they had all come from charity shops in New Zealand the

idea was hatched.

We presented our ideas to an enthusiastic guild and then

asked for volunteers to be models, hands did not go up, until

our eldest member, Angela, said she would and started the

ball rolling. We ended up with twelve models and planned

that they would wear two outfits each. 

Willen Hospice was contacted and enthusiastically supported

the idea, which resulted in Gill, Jan, Sheila and I going on

several occasions to their collection depot to sort and select

suitable garments for our models and clothing suitable for a

sales rail.

Invitations to the show were sent out to all the Bedfordshire

Trefoil Guilds and posted on the Girguiding website.

On the day all of the models

were nervous but paraded very

well and looked extremely glamorous.

We were pleased that Joan was able to model

the  Jacques Vert number as she had only recently had an

operation.                         

Our models paraded in outfits for different occasions.  I think

it helped that one of our member’s maiden name was

Shrimpton!  There was a lot of noise in the changing room but

Ann kept us all in order and helped with dressing.

Patricia ended the show in a pale mauve silk ‘number’ which

had been donated by a store.  It had an original price tag of

£700 and consisted of a long skirt, a tight basque and a jacket,

these were complimented with a cheeky hat of her own.  To

the tune of “Hey Big Spender” Patricia took off the jacket,

twirled it around her and everyone cheered. This was followed

by a big round of applause then tea and cakes – of course!

With the help of one of our members’ enthusiastic neighbours,

who are volunteers at the Willen Hospice collection depot,

the clothes that had been modelled and some from the sales

rails were sold. Fun was had by all and  £275 was raised for

the Hospice.

It just goes to show that you are never too old to enjoy new

challenges.  We hope you enjoy your Girlguiding as much as

we do, however old you are!

Jan Griffin - Chairman, Woburn District Trefoil Guild

La

dies a

nd

La

vend

erWoburn District

Trefoil Guild News

Patricia

Angela

Joan

South Beds Guides Achievethe Baden-Powell Challenge AwardThe BP Challenge Award was achieved

by Katharina Wallace and Stephanie

Hull from the 4th Leighton Buzzard

Guide Unit. They organised events and

activities both within the Guide Unit and also with family

and friends including a special birthday outing for Steph’s

mum, Kat achieved the World Culture Badge and they held a

successful pamper evening for all of the Guides. During the

year the girls have developed their leadership skills and

have both decided to become Young Leaders.

You can find out more about these

fantastic international trips on our website

www.bedsguiding.org.uk/international_experiences.htm

WarwickCastleSleepoverGuides from

Linleighbridge

District, South

Beds joined in the fun at a YouthFunDays Event at Warwick

Castle. Camping in the grounds of a castle was a unique expe-

rience. We learnt about the Medieval Battle Costume, were

delighted by the animated Castle Storyteller who told the story

of the Lord of Warwick slaying a Dragon, were treated to a

Battle of Swords and a demonstration of a full sized Trebuchet

launching a fire ball across the sky. On Sunday we watched a

Birds of Prey demonstration then explored the castle and

enjoyed the variety of displays and activities. We certainly

recommend this trip to other groups. All food and hot drinks

provided - all you need to take is a tent and your bedding... easy!

Who Let The Dogs Out!This year we decided to run a joint camp with Guides from

2nd, 3rd and 5th Stopsley Guide Units and we have recently

returned from a very successful and enjoyable summer camp

at Jordan’s Close in Great Barford. We were extremely lucky

with the weather; whilst rain threatened twice during the

week, neither threat came to anything.

The theme of the camp was 101, simply as we were 100 last

year, and activities were loosely, very loosely in some cases,

connected to 101 Dalmatians, so dogs and spots, and room 101.

Scarecrows atHaverings FayreHaverings Fayre this year had a

scarecrow theme. There were

lots of stalls outside in the sun-

shine, a bouncy castle, side

shows, raffle and varying other

activities for all ages. Trefoil ran a refreshment stall serving

lovely homemade cakes and hot pizza slices with a very welcome

cup of tea. The stalls were decorated in the scarecrow theme,

and Janet Locke was even dressed up as a scarecrow, with

mice in amongst her straw stuffing. Guides from Luton South

Division were camping and running activities to raise additional

funds and show how Guides camp in this day and age. There

wasn’t a green ridge tent in sight. Instead, we had a number of

Centenary tents on display; direct from the Emerald sub-camp.

Of course Haverings Fayre is all about raising money for the

upkeep of the centre. This year we raised in excess of £1,500,

and all who joined us had a very good time in the process. The

organisers would like to thank all those who helped at the

event and came and put their hands in their pockets.

Gemma Johnson –Leighton BuzzardRanger & YoungLeader withBrownies at EatonBray made friendsfor life at Sweden’sJamboree

Sophie Ben Taïeb -

Diversity/Bedford

Division Rangers

travelled to Rinkaby just

outside Kristianstad for

the 22nd World Scout

Jamboree 2011 with 40

Scouts and Rangers

Going International!

Staying in the UK!

Debbie Dochertywent to the WorldConference in

Edinburgh held in July

It’s Never Too Late to Have an International Experience.

Chris Daniels joined a team of four leaders and seven

Anglia Senior Section members aged between 14 and 19

years to work alongside the Watering Roots Charity to

support the needs of the village of Busembatia and a

nearby village in Uganda.

The National Scout and Guide Symphony OrchestraKat Wallace from Linleighbridge District Guides and Emily Lakin

from Leighton Heath District on their adventure:

Kat says: “I first heard the orchestra play at Centenary Camp. My

leader told me that a Young Leader - Emily Lakin, who was a Guide

in our unit had joined the orchestra, so when the application

forms came out I decided to apply. We had to complete a form

telling the NYSSA our music grade, what instrument we played

and include a letter of recommendation from our instrumental

teacher. I was accepted and in July, Emily and I went to

Bearwood College, a boarding school, near Workingham. I played

the violin and Emily played flute. Rehearsals were between 9am

& 9pm, but we had breaks and two hours free time in the middle

of the day. I think the best bit was the Ceilidh as I'd never done

any Scottish dancing before and was really fun.”

Emily says: “We were taught to play The Academic Overture by

Brahms, The Walk to the Paradise Garden by Delius, Pomp and

Circumstance March No. 1 by Elgar, The Great Adventure by

Newton and Symphony No.2 in B Minor by Borodin. On Friday we

performed at St Nicolas Church in Newbury to invited guests and

on the Saturday at Bearwood College Theatre in Wokingham to

families and special guests.”

Sixty six people took part, including twenty six new members

from all over the UK. The NYSSA was formed in 1976 as a joint

orchestra of The Scout Association and the Girl Guides

Association with the slogan - Where else could you turn up as a

stranger and leave having met some of the best friends of your

life? Since it was formed, the orchestra has met yearly, under-

taking a week-long course, finishing with two concerts and also

embarks on a tour abroad approximately every four/five years,

past tours have taken the orchestra to USA, Greece, Germany,

The Czech Republic and, in 2004, Estonia. The orchestra has also

performed in such prestigious venues as Westminster Abbey, St.

George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and The Royal Albert Hall as well

as performances for Royalty.

The orchestra comprises around seventy Scouts and Guides

between the ages of thirteen and thirty. New recruits join every

year, there are no auditions but recommendations from

Scouter/Guider and Conductor/Music teacher must be provided.

If you have Guides who play

instruments, perhaps they

would welcome the oppor-

tunity to join the Orchestra

Residential Event next year.

BEDFORDSHIRE GUIDES WOWED BY THE UK’S TOP POP STARS

More than 30,000 music fans – including over 75 Guides from Luton

South Division and 20 from 1st Ampthill Guides - descended on

London’s Wembley Arena to see some of music’s top acts perform at

Girlguiding UK’s BIG GIG 2011.

Pixie Lott, Dionne Bromfield and Olly Murs were among the stars on

show at the music event, which has been held exclusively

for guiding members for ten years. The demand for

tickets among members was so overwhelming that

for the first time three concerts were put on

over the weekend.

The event was hosted by super-daring children’s television

presenter Helen Skelton, who was suggested by a huge

number of girls on Girlguiding UK’s internet forum.

Amy, 11, said: ‘The BIG GIG was fantastic. It was such fun to

watch all the famous bands and scream with thousands of

other Guides from all over the country!’

County Camp 2012We now have a date and venue for the Bedfordshire County Camp 2012

18th – 25th August 2012

Tolmers, Cuffley Hertfordshire

You will be able to camp as a Unit, District, Division, or any combination of those!

Senior Section will probably have a sub-camp and individual members

will be welcomed into a sub-camp .

There will be loads of activities, adventurous, and not so adventurous.

If you have any ideas of what you would like to do at camp please let us know.

Follow this link to see all about the site http://www.tolmers.org.uk/

More details will be available soon but please

put the date in your diary and make plans to attend

www.bedsguiding.org.uk website email: sue.champkins@cool-icon.com

Beds Buzz - Editor Diane Butler email: diane@collingwood-design.co.uk

Buzz

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Copy deadline for Spring Edition - 1st February 2012

New Flag Dedicated

This picture was taken at the Dedication Service

held for our new flag.

The service was attended by the 3rd Biggleswade

Brownies and Guides, local Guiders, members of

the Congregation at Trinity Methodist Church and

Alisdair Burt MP and his wife Eve.  We were also

pleased to welcome Our Division Commissioner

and our County Commissioner who graciously

displayed the County Standard.  It was an honour

to see our new flag being displayed beside the

wonderful County Standard.

Rev. Andrew Hollins dedicated the Flag with four

Rangers making their Ranger Promise during the

dedication. This was followed by traditional

refreshments in the hall.

Amanda Barker - Assistant Leader, Ivel Rangers

London to Brighton by BicycleOn Sunday 19th June 2011 I completed the

London to Brighton Bike Ride in 6 hours, with my

Mum and Dad. It was 54 miles. We started from

Clapham Common in London at 07:00, so it was

an early start.

The first 25 miles were ok, as we did quite a lot

of training before hand. The next 5 miles were

quite hard, but it seemed easier, once we were

over half way. There were quite a lot of hills, but

the worst one was at Ditchling Beacon, which is

about ten miles before the end. We had to walk

up that hill as it was very steep and there were

lots of people.

We finished near Brighton Pier and had some

well deserved fish and chips.

Brooke Rowan - Young Leader

Guides in Hi-Viz!There was no Rotary Sponsored Walk organised this year in

Luton, so at 5th Stopsley Guides we looked for an alternative, and

thought we had found the ideal solution. After much confusion,

and changed plans, we ended up with a small, but select,

group of Guides walking a well trodden route we had covered

during the Bedfordshire Centenary 100 Mile Walking Challenge.

We wore hi-viz, it was a much better option for fancy dress

than some suggested, fairies or sumo wrestlers, and off we set.

We attempted to find several Geocaches along the way, but

without a proper GPS this was not possible (Moley's iPhone was

just not up to the job, so the girls have requested we go out

and do that another day). Five hours or so later, keeping a very

good pace, and not stopping long at all for lunch, we all made

it back to the church hall, and on home for a well earned rest.

The weather was very kind to us, although we donned our

waterproofs at lunch-time, because it started to spit with rain,

this came to nothing until we had arrived back to the church

hall, when it really didn't matter at all.

We are Sailing...1st Stondon Brownies took

part in an Introduction to

Sailing activity at Fairlands

Valley Park, Stevenage.

Working towards their Out

and About badge, they

started the morning with

Orienteering around the

lake before donning their

life jackets. Although nervous at first they had a wonderful time taking

in turns to sail the boats for almost an hour.

We are Camping...For our autumn camp, we joined the 3rd Colindale Unit and

went to Cherry Green Trees in St. Albans, we had a great time

dodging the showers and the Guides had fun doing the 'I am a

Guide Get me out of here!!!!’ badge. Guides put their hands in

cold baked beans to find a missing star and then into flour, the

next Guide had to put her hand into cold custard then wood chip!

Thanks go to Carole, Kate and Julie, friends from 3rd Colindale

who organised the camp and the games. The girls loved it, but

most of all they enjoyed the freedom of going into the woods

and playing hide and seek by themselves. Nicola

Singing Circle dates for your diary - 7.45pm start

St Marks Church, Bedford - Monday 21st November 2011Haverings, Luton - Tuesday 17th January 2012