camping

In response to a post by a facebook friend who is involved in the  Scout movement, I said that my being a Girl Guide had informed most of what I am and do today, and other people felt the same way. 

I became a Brownie as soon as I was old enough (7),  progressed through to the Guides at 10 and then became a Young Leader. The best part of Guiding for me was (you've guessed it!) our annual camp. I was only 10 when we spent a whole 2 weeks under canvas in the New Forest, my first time away from home (over 100 miles away) without parents. I learned so many things, including how to tell the time using the sun and stars, how to splint a broken leg, how to light a fire using only one match. More useful perhaps was learning how to be a member of a team and how (after many years) to lead a team, how to get along with peers and leaders I didn't particularly like and how to be cheerful when I didn't feel like it. I also had a sense of being part of something international, and loved the idea that on Thinking day (22nd February) every year, there were girls all over the world just like me who loved meeting up every week, playing games, singing songs, learning new things and trying to be helpful and good.

This afternoon when I was packing my stuff for tomorrow's bivvy, I found my camp blanket in the cupboard where I keep my outdoor stuff. We used to use our blankets as a kind of cape to keep warm around the campfire, and sewed on all our badges. Dormouse was my camp name, I chose it because I was quiet and shy..I'm not now!

Guiding is still very much alive and kicking, although in a rather more modern way. You can have a look at the website HERE.