Page 9 - Oundle Life August 2024

95 YEARS
OF FUN
Oundle Brownies
At the beginning of 2024 we realised that there had been a 1st Oundle Brownies in action for 95 years! We couldn’t let this occasion go past without a party and decided to open it up to the Brownies friends, family and community.
Brownies are a part of Girlguiding, which is the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls.
Girls can do anything. We help them to know that, whether they’re 4 or 18 or in between.
Girlguiding has changed in many ways over the years. There have been uniform changes
and programme changes to make sure that we stay relevant and keep creating exciting and enriching opportunities for the girls that join us.
Our Bring a Friend night was an opportunity to share some guiding history, play some games and, of course, have some cake!
One of the activities involved looking at the contents of a Brownie ‘pocket’ or purse, just
like the one Brown Owl had when she was a Brownie (nearly 40 years ago!). In the ‘old days’ girls had to carry a white handkerchief, plasters, safety pins, 5p or 10p coins, pieces of string, a notepad and a pencil. Trying to explain that the money was so you could make a phone call to girls that have grown up around mobile phones was interesting!
The girls were also tested on their general knowledge and fitness, just like early Brownies and Guides would have been. There were also more modern brownie activities like trying
to recreate a famous French landmark using spaghetti and marshmallows, and making
friendship bracelets.
Over the years we have been lucky to have a
team of enthusiastic, creative and courageous volunteers leading the Brownies in Oundle. We are proud that we have kept the Brownies going for so many years – we even met online during covid! We are now looking for more amazing women to join us and keep us going in the future. We have opportunities with Rainbows, Brownies and Guides in Oundle, Polebrook and Thrapston.
By volunteering with us, you’ll be helping girls build their confidence, have adventures and learn new skills. It doesn’t matter what your experience or background is, or how much time you have.
Volunteering for Girlguiding is a great way
of meeting new people and taking a break from your daily routine. You can also build your
own skills by taking our leader development programme, becoming a first aider or qualified outdoor activity instructor. Whatever it is you’re looking for, there’ll be something in it for you. To find our more and register your interest please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/get-involved/ become-a-volunteer/register-to-volunteer/
If you have a daughter, granddaughter or niece that would like to join the Rainbows, Brownies or Guides you can find out more and register your interest here: www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for- parents/register-a-child/
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