Spring 2012 County Bulletin

February Exec minutes have been posted onto the county website. Contact information has been updated and the latest raising dates are avaliable for download along with lots of other useful resources and event forms.

We have now added a section all about International to our website. It has lots of downloadable resources and information for those interested in international opportunities.

Appointments within the County & Wales

Dawn Guest – DC Holywell, Linda McHugh – Events Trailer Contact, Sue Kirby County Commissioner for Gwent, Jackie Trotman, Nicole Fletcher, Irene Jarman role sharing as county commissioner for Breconshire,  Ruth Purnell Stephanie Bassett – Girlguiding Cymru Training Adviser, Jayne Hancock – Girlguiding Cymru Outdoor Activities Adviser, Alison Willington – Girlguiding Cymru BP Adviser

Resignations within the County

Gemma Lee has resigned as County Guide Adviser.

County Roles Available

Recruitment Team members (from each Division/District), Photography Co-ordinator, PR Team Co-ordinator, PR Team Members (From each Division/District), County Outdoor Activities Adviser/Co-ordinator, Rainbow Adviser, Guide Adviser, County Bulletin Co-ordinator, Security Team Co-ordinator & Members, Ty Clwyd PR Co-ordinator, Meet and greet Team Members for Ty Clwyd, Ty Clwyd Housekeeping Team Member.

Reminder of the new pricing for overnight stays at the Ty Clwyd house and campsite. You can view the new prices online here.

Your Stories

In Rhyl the town Mayor presents awards each year. This year (in February) the Youth Award went to Debra Smith, Debra is the Leader of the 5th Rhyl Christ Church Brownies,  Debra has for the past ten years provided activities and taken part in fundraising for charities, as well as taking her girls on pack Holidays and Sleep overs. Debra is also an assistant Guider with 8th Rhyl Christ Church Rainbows, and Divisional Commissioner for North Denbighshire. Debra started as a Unit Helper in Brownies when her daughter was a Brownie, debra qualified as an Adult Leader in 2006.

Cymau & Watts Dyke rainbows joined with Bromfield & Bradley Rainbows to visit the RSPB centre near Conwy on 4th March. The girls all had a great time finding out about the reserve, pond-dipping, bug-hunting, making dragonfly models, bird spotting and jumping in puddles (not part of the day organized by the staff at RSPB but puddles do seem to attact rainbows!) The 3 RSPB ladies were brilliant with the girls and the activities they organized kept the girls interest for the day.

An M.B.E. for Debbie Roberts. Much to everyone’s delight in Clwyd, Debbie’s outstanding Guiding work with her unit of girls with disabilities has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours List. For those who have not met Debbie, here is a brief summary of some of her achievements.
Her Ranger unit is based at Ysgol Gogarth in Llandudno, and all the girls have some degree of disability. She has been organising holidays for girls since the age of eighteen and has taken groups to Our Chalet, Sangam, Pax Lodge and Our Cabana, Canada, America, Kenya on a “Gold” project, and EuroDisney.
With her encouragement and support, her Rangers have achieved D. of E. Bronze, Silver and Gold, and last year, she took those who had gained a Gold award to St. James’ Palace. Some of them have also achieved their Queen’s Guide Award. She was adviser for members with disabilities for Clwyd for twenty years, and has also been D.of E. adviser for Wales. Debbie is a maths teacher, and also a lay preacher.
“There is so much that she has done that it is good to see an award going to someone so deserving”
Many congratulations from Girlguiding Clwyd!!

South Denbighshire

1st Ruthin Brownies have been very pleased to enroll 12 new Brownies and have had lots of fun introducing them to Brownies, the Ruthin way!! Henllan Brownies held a ceremony where 15 girls made their Promise. To complete the Duck challenge we went by train (new to some of the girls) to Liverpool for a trip on the “Duck”. The Brownies loved it especially when splashed into the water!

West Flintshire

We had a Division dinner before Christmas. Thinking Day Service planned for 26th February in Holywell, also an event for the Jubilee/Olympics isin planning. 2nd Mold brownies, 3rd Meld brownies, Gwernaffield and Pantymwyn brownies, Nannerch brownies and Meld and Moel Fammau rangers went the panto. Llanasa Guides raised £120 for St Kentigern hospice at a Christmas- themed beetle drive. This was as part of the Community Action badge, which has included collecting goods for St Kentigern charity shops, learning about cancer risk factors, and cake baking fundraisers.

East Flintshire

Mynydd Isa Guides enjoyed a weekend away in Chirk in December and Buckley guides went to Gladstone and Danielle Griffiths achieved her Guide holiday license. The district is preparing to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. Plans are also being made for pack holiday and camps for the summer. Deeside District has three new leaders, and a new Ranger Unit. The Rainbow and Brownie Units are full to capacity. Connahs Quay Brownies are off on Pack Holiday next weekend. At long last Hawarden is going to open a Rainbow Unit; one of the new leaders has been associated with guiding before but not in this area. It could prove to be infectious because there might be a new Brownie Unit as well. 1st Kinnerton Rainbows have been star-gazing and building space rockets to fly to the international space station. Cymau Rainbows are working for their RSPB badges. Cymau Brownies had a pack holiday to Chirk in March. Leeswood Brownies held a farewell and thank you party for our Tawny Owl(Eveline Biggadike) and Snowy Owl (Beryl Fazal) who had completed 27 years with the Unit. Leeswood Rainbows are designing a friendship badge to be used in the Unit and also celebrating the Rainbows 25th year.

Wrexham

Unfortunately Acton rainbows have closed due to a lack of leaders. Attempts have been made to offer the rainbows places within other groups within the Division. Many units took part in Remembrance Day services. Many of the guide units have applied for a “What if we had £200?” grant from AVOW. 2nd Gresford brownies are working on their World Culture Badge bringing in Chinese New Year eating with chopsticks and making dragons and lanterns. They are also fund raising for the BritishHeart Foundation by taking part in Red Heart Day on Feb. 23rd, and celebrating Thinking Day. Gresford Guides are currently working their way through the Startastic challenge badge. They have also had a visit from Nightingale House and were able to hand over some sponsor money raised for them. Bishop Own guides have been doing fundraising for their trip to Switzerland scheduled for later this year & some of what they raise is going to Hope House Hospice. Nine guides are about to start their Baden Powell & hopefully will beholding a weekend camp in April. 1st Gresford Brownies have done their Brownie Traditions badge, had a visit from “Hand Tastic”, a deaf awareness group. Bradley brownies have been to visit the Fire Station while working on their Fire Safety badges.  1st Brynteg Rainbows have had a busy term with a visit from the local PCSO, a Deaf Awareness session run by Barbara Jones and a Indoor Duck Race to raise funds for the unit.  1st Brynteg Brownies have been all over the World completing the World Traveller Badge. They went to Chirk Guide HQ at Half term and had a great time visiting lots of different countries and never moved from the building!!  1st Brynteg Guides have had a quiz night to raise funds for Wow Camp and have now gor four girls starting on their BP award. Yale District joined together on February 22nd to celebrate Thinking Day. We had entertainment provided by the girls and Trefoil from different Countries. We ended with a short service of Thanksgiving for Guiding all over the world