Published each March, June, September and December National president Della Salway National chair Jean Kelly
The Trefoil magazine team Lydia Clarke, Tasha Best, Marie Burgess, Eileen Martin, Sheila Leete, Sheran Oke, Jean Kelly, Elaine Diack, Jean Lawrowitsch
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Hello everyone
I’ve just got back from our Annual Meeting in Portsmouth, and what a great weekend it was! It was super to meet so many of you, including friends from around the country that I only get to see at this type of event, and I think the same was true for many of you too. We said a fond farewell and thank you to Eileen Martin, welcomed Jean Kelly as our new national chair (both below), and were inspired by our guest speaker, Sue Riches. Sue had been part of the first all-female expedition to the North Pole – and told us everything we may have wanted to ask but were afraid to. You can see more about the weekend in this magazine, and a gallery and audio recording is on our website. Do put next year’s date and venue in your diary – 7 June in Belfast. More information will follow later in the year. After a super concert by the Royal Marines Association Concert Band in the evening, a collection was taken.
The band were thrilled that they collected over £1,700 – the most ever at one performance, so a big thank you to all who contributed. Are you a keen walker? Then our Trefoil Walk in September 2025 may be just the ticket for you. We’ll be taking over the Youth Hostel at Ilam Hall in Derbyshire next year. There’s more information in this issue of The Trefoil.
I hope you’ve had a fun summer, with lots of motivating activities.
Della Salway National president
New country and region chairs
Here we find out a little bit about the new chairs of Scotland, North West England and North East England
Alison Plummer, Scotland
I’m a member of Glasgow East North East Trefoil. I was brought up with Trefoil, as my mum has been a member since 1957, and still is at 94!
I have been involved in several Trefoil task and finish groups, including Trefoil 80th Anniversary challenge, the Gathering 2023 in Swanwick and the Annual Meeting review. I attended the Annual Meetings in Glasgow and Portsmouth, enjoying meeting members from across the UK.
Being a Brownie, Guide, Ranger, Young Leader and Guide leader.
taking early retirement, I was a science teacher, a lecturer and then a qualifications development manager.
I am currently chair of the trustees of St Mary’s for All, a community-led charitable social enterprise in Hamilton, working to make a difference in people’s lives. In 2023, I was appointed deputy Lieutenant of Lanarkshire.
I am now a division leader, helping wherever needed. Girlguiding has given me a love of camping, the outdoors and international adventures. I have worked at all levels in Girlguiding as county, Scottish and UK adviser, district and county commissioner and am still a trainer and tutor. Before
I have 2 married daughters, who are both involved in Girlguiding and support me in all I do. My 2 grandsons are the joy of my life.
The Trefoil key messages – to find friendship, get involved, get active and give support –encapsulate what I hope to do as chair. I look forward to meeting as many members as possible during my tenure and to lead, motivate and support them, so that Trefoil Guild Scotland continues from strength to strength.
Jean Lawrowitsch, North West England
I am really looking forward to being the new chair of Trefoil Guild North West England and working with my fabulous team. It’s an exciting challenge and I hope to make everyone aware of all the fantastic opportunities Trefoil has to offer, and also see what fun we have!
I have been the region programme adviser, a county chair, and am still an active leader in Girlguiding Stockport. I think it is really important for Trefoil and Girlguiding to work together.
I am married with 2 grown-up children. I work as an optometrist, a job I really enjoy. I also like crafting, read a lot, as well as swim and belly dance to keep fit. I love visiting local theatre and volunteer at The Plaza theatre in Stockport. I have a busy life but hope I can make a difference in my new Trefoil role.
Lesley Haworth, North East England
I’m a true northern lass, born in County Durham, and have spent most of my life in ‘God’s own country’, now in Skipton, North Yorkshire. I am honoured to have been chosen to lead the North East England region going forward.
This is a role I approach with excitement, dedication and full commitment to uphold our mission and values. As a Brownie, I made my promise to do my best, and although I am not perfect, I will strive to keep that promise every day.
I’d like you to join me on this journey, where together we can enjoy the fun, friendship and support that being a Trefoil member brings. Following in Dianne’s footsteps is no small task, but I am wholeheartedly dedicated to maintaining and enhancing the wonderful Trefoil membership we have in North East England. Together, let’s encourage new members, inspire our current ones and motivate each other to achieve great things.
Our adventure awaits!
Noticeboard
Bulletins and information for all our members
Synopsis of Annual Meeting
Della Salway welcomed members and guests to the 2024 Annual Meeting in Portsmouth, asking for a show of hands for those attending their first meeting. She continued, noting that there is a serious and important aspect to the Annual Meeting. Della explained that as charity trustees, the board need to be accountable to their members and this is the main chance for the trustees to report back in person, to listen to members’ views, hear what members have enjoyed from national events and initiatives, as well as members’ ideas for improvement. Eileen Martin thanked the board of trustees, the staff and all members for their continued support and left the members with a challenge – take a friend to your next meeting. Heather Hern reported on the financial health of the Trefoil Guild
with the unaudited financial statement for the year ending 31 December 2023. Tracy Foster, chief guide, gave an update from Girlguiding, and the TOPAZ 2023 teams from Lesotho and Thailand spoke of their work. Sue Riches gave a lively talk on the first all-women’s expedition to the North Pole and encouraged everyone to ‘be bold, be brave, be you’. Jean Kelly, as incoming national chair, explained how she came to be in Trefoil, how much her Trefoil promise meant to her and how she would work with the board of trustees and Trefoil members for the future of Trefoil Guild.
Full information on the end of year accounts 2023 is available from the Trefoil Guild office. You can listen to the Annual Meeting 2024 transcript on the Trefoil Guild website. The Annual Meeting in 2025 will be on Saturday 7 June at the ICC Belfast.
Submission to The Trefoil and website
We welcome all submitted items using the appropriate pro forma, which can be downloaded from the website. Please state whether you’re happy for items to be considered for the website if there is too little space in The Trefoil. Submissions for the December issue due by 20 September 2024.
Your letters
Find out what other Trefoil members have on their minds
Brilliant magazine
Great
memories
Just wanting to thank all who have helped in the March edition of The Trefoil magazine on a brilliant job! I had been debating whether to join this time (I’m 88!), but found all the articles so inspiring that it has made me reconsider my position and whetted my appetite for participating in the Motivate challenges – which I hear we may involve ourselves in. ‘Building on connections’ by Kris Clarke and the heritage article by Deb Millican were excellent and so interesting – quite the best magazine so far, I’d say. Thank you for all the hard work that goes into making such a good read on a Monday morning when I have so many other jobs to do. Keep up the good work – I am already looking forward to the next!
Reverend Beti Morris, Cardigan and District Trefoil Guild
The article in the June edition of The Trefoil about Friends of Guiding, Brownsea Island brought back many happy memories. In the mid-1960s I was a Cadet in Bournemouth and a member of the Bournemouth Ranger and Rover Committee. We camped on Brownsea many times. The stand-out event was, of course, the unveiling of The Scout Stone in 1967. We helped set up the camp for around 300 boys and were invited to stay on. I went home, said hello to my mother, collected clean clothes and said I’ll be back next week! I joined the admin team for that camp and we were provided with a couple of cars: a Mini Moke and a Land Rover. We had to sail over to Poole at 7.30am to get milk, and about 15 of us took the bus into the cinema in Bournemouth were we saw ‘The Sound of Music’. Each year I attend the Brownsea Island Open Air Theatre (BOAT). It’s a great opportunity to relive old memories!
Valerie Williams, Bristol North West Trefoil Guild
Email your letters to us at trefoilguild@girlguiding.org.uk or write to the contact details on page 2.
Your snapshots
We take a look at what Trefoil members have been up to
New Zealand adventure
Stunning views and weather. Cloudless flight over mountains to Milford Sound, cast away to a hotel with no road access, jet boating, glow-worm caves, Auckland Sky Tower views. Here, exploring turquoise river in Hokitika Gorge.
Christine Tanner, Witham Trefoil Guild
Lifeboat
anniversary
Marking the 200th anniversary of the start of the RNLI, members of Folkestone Trefoil joined Canterbury Trefoil on a tour of the Dungeness Lifeboat Station. An interesting talk explained how they cover a very busy waterway and how a very different style of rescue is often needed.
Rosalind Battrick, Folkestone Trefoil Guild
Great escape
6 members from Inspire Trefoil Guild visited The Escaporium in Halifax and tried a couple of their escape rooms. Great fun was had by all – and we escaped!
Dawn Rogers, Inspire Trefoil Guild
Publisher visit
Members of Formby Trefoil Guild started their Motivate challenge with a visit to Newhall Publishing Ltd in Hoylake, Wirral, which is where The Trefoil magazine is published. We were welcomed by Richard Woolliams, the managing director, and other members of the team, before a tour of the office and an insight into the production of the magazine. We finished with refreshments. The staff’s eye for detail and doing their part for Trefoil was obvious to see.
Sheila Crawford, Formby Trefoil Guild
Crafty
day
Burwell and Linton Trefoil Guilds spent a lovely evening at Burwell Print Centre in Cambridge. The social enterprise promotes independence and increases self-esteem for adults with learning disabilities, who sell their handmade gifts in the Hidden Treasures shop, which also rents out shelves for local artists and crafters to sell their products. We were shown how to make bath bombs by 2 ladies, who support the adults at the community print centre.
Linda Larner, Burwell Trefoil Guild
Park tour
10 members visited the National Trust’s Ilam Park for a fascinating tour of the village and park. In Holy Cross Church, we saw the carved tomb of St Bertram. It is said that if you crawl through the holes in the tomb you will be cured of all ills, so Kath Cartlidge volunteered to try it out.
Janet Tibbit, Ashbourne Trefoil Guild
Getting creative
Members of East Lothian County Trefoil Guild were volunteering in the craft tent at Girlguiding East Lothian’s Festival in a Field on Saturday 18 May. Liz Brash, East Lothian County Trefoil Guild
Musical afternoon
Trefoil members from across Kent
Weald county met at Matfield Village Hall for an afternoon singing guiding songs. Marion Chase from Invicta Trefoil led the singing. She brought with her Boomwhackers, which are percussion tubes, and taught members how to play Taps with them.
Janette Willetts, Allington Trefoil Guild
Spring break
What do you have if a dozen cars converge on Hautbois, from various parts of Norfolk, on a Monday afternoon? A spring break organised by Lowestoft Guild! It’s the second one, so it could become a habit. We started the day with meditation, using the campfire song, ‘Shake a friend’s hand’ – a verse a day. If you’ve never been to Hautbois we recommend it. Just looking out of the windows makes you forget your troubles. Being with friends from around the county is good, plus lots of exercise for chuckle muscles!
Barbara Foster, Kings Lynn Trefoil Guild
Famous face
Members from Trefoils across Northants met up after the annual meeting in Portsmouth for our residential and stayed near Fareham. We visited the Weald & Downland Living Museum in Chichester, where they just happened to be filming ‘The Repair Shop’, and one of the experts from the show, Will Kirk, kindly agreed to a photograph!
Jane Causebrook, Danetre Trefoil Guild
Rail trip triumphs
Members of Duddon Trefoil Guild enjoyed 2 trips funded by Community Rail Lancashire and Cumbria. In early February, Catherine and Katie of Community Rail Lancashire escorted us to RSPB Leighton Moss. After an introduction to the reserve, we did some birdwatching followed by lunch and then craft activities. In late February, we went to Carnforth station where we enjoyed visiting the museum of the film ‘Brief Encounter’, parts of which had been filmed there.
Eunice Holme, Duddon Trefoil Guild
Learning croquet
Several members of Yeo Vale Trefoil Guild went along to Nailsea and District Croquet Club and tried their hand at croquet. Only 1 lady had ever played before but many proved they had a natural talent for it and it quickly got quite competitive.
Tigi Higgins, Yeo Vale Trefoil Guild
Arfon Trefoil Guild member Stephanie Bowen tried out the miniature bike belonging to Blood Bikes Wales after their inspirational talk at Wales AGM.
Wendy Moore, Llandudno and District Trefoil Guild
If you’d like to see images of your own guild’s activities on the pages of The Trefoil, please email your photographs to trefoilguild@girlguiding.org.uk for consideration.
Traditions of Rothwell, Northants
This Northamptonshire town has plenty of history, says Elaine Diack, chair of Trefoil Guild Midlands
There has been a settlement on the site of Rothwell for over 2,000 years. It was originally called Rodewell (place of the red well) and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. It was a very important town during the Middle Ages. Parts of the church date back to Norman times while the rest is 13th century, and it has a 53 metre nave. A crypt under the church was discovered when a gravedigger fell through and found himself surrounded by bones. This is only 1 of 2 known ossuaries in England and contains only skulls and thighbones, some dating back to the 13th century.
King John granted a royal charter in 1204 for the town to hold a weekly market and an annual fair. King James I renewed the charter in 1614. Rowell Fair, as it’s known, takes place the week after Trinity Sunday. The proclamation is read by the bailiff,
who is traditionally on horseback and accompanied by the halberdiers (pictured). The Rowell fair band set off followed by the bailiff, councillors and local dignitaries. At each pub the proclamation is read. They are then served rum and milk. A huge crowd follows the procession and there are scuffles as local youths try to take poles from the halberdiers. No fair was held during the pandemic but the bailiff still read the proclamation at 6am on Rowell Fair Monday. The fair is now a funfair and not a trading fair. It is held in the market square and in streets –although difficult for traffic, it is a tradition worth keeping. People return to the town for the fair and catch up with family and friends, making an occasion of it. I’ll finish the same way the proclamation does: God save the King and the Lord of the Manor.
Miniature bike
Annual report for 2023
Members have enjoyed many different ways to get involved, find friendship, give support and get active, says Eileen Martin, former national chair
2023 saw us celebrate our 80th Anniversary and we certainly celebrated in guilds, counties, countries and regions. Nationally we launched our very successful and popular 80th Anniversary challenge, open to all Trefoil and Girlguiding members. We sold 27,113 badges, raising £5,422.60 to support Girlguiding. Thank you to everyone who took part.
Highlights from around the countries and regions show that you have all been getting involved, finding friendship, giving support and getting active. South West England members were entertained at the region annual meeting by the Urban Vocal Group, young people from 10-18 years old. North West England’s 80th
anniversary event was their Blackpool Bonanza, when over 250 members, dressed in red, held a treasure hunt, a photo shoot on the front, afternoon tea in the Tower Ballroom as well as dance lessons and a ‘Strictly’-style competition.
North East England held the biggest tea party at Newby Hall with their 80th celebration tea served at tables set out between the herbaceous borders with views of the grand house and the river. Members in Scotland enjoyed regular rambles around the country, a walking
weekend in Aviemore and trips to Switzerland and Norway. Trefoil Guild Wales enjoyed narrowboat holidays, African drumming, afternoon tea on a train and swimming in the sea in the winter. Anglia were delighted to challenge their members to design a Trefoil Guild Anglia Thanks Award.
Over 400 members from Midlands were entertained by stilt-walking magicians and a fabulous 40s singer had them dancing in the aisles. On 1 July, Trefoil Guild LaSER held ‘see red’. Members dressed in red flooded the region all along the south coast from Littlehampton, West Sussex, to Herne Bay, Kent, London Bridge, Crystal Palace, London parks and venues in their locality.
Trefoil Guild Ulster changed the format of their Annual Review in 2023, holding a forest walk and BBQ and tagging the review on at the end. It was attended by over 100 members, a third of their membership –a real success.
TGIFC held their virtual meetings where Trefoil members from across the world met online to share games, crafts, quizzes and plenty of time to catch up with friends old and new.
since the start. During 2023, 46 members completed gold, 52 silver and 81 bronze. Our charity’s objectives of supporting Girlguiding and the community have continued with members being actively involved as leaders, supporting new Girlguiding units by providing starter packs and supporting local and national charities. We continue to produce 4 magazines a year, regularly update our website and have increased the use of social media.
During the year, 230 members celebrated their 90th birthday and several their 100th birthday. The Thanks and Recognition badge remains very popular with our members. The Silver Brooch for outstanding service to Trefoil Guild was presented to 1 member in 2023. Our TOPAZ programme continues to be popular, with groups travelling to Lesotho in March and Thailand in November, both trips being enjoyable, challenging and successful.
STARS (Skills, Together, Action, Roam, Self) continues to be popular with our members as does the Voyage award with over 3,330 members registered
I would like to thank all members for their continued support and leave you all with a challenge. We all know how wonderful our organisation is and it’s time to share that with others so that they can enjoy the fun and friendship. Why not take a friend along to your next meeting?
Meet a Trefoil
Anglia’s Heraldry guild, formed at Hautbois, brings together all that is good about Trefoil, say the members
Our Anglia Heraldry Trefoil Guild was a year old this summer. We formed it during the Hautbois Discover Heraldry week, so that we could continue to share our intriguing, absorbing hobby. Our aim is to meet at least 3 times a year, using an online conferencing platform when it cannot be in person. We have had 2 Zoom meetings, sharing our discoveries and queries, playing games and even exploring the possibilities of heraldic lion yoga. We visited Thetford and Bury St Edmunds for a couple of days before the region annual meeting. The stunning angel roof of St Mary’s Church in Bury St Edmunds was an
unexpected bonus. In the evening, we enjoyed a lively board game called Tournament, developed by the now-defunct Anglia Heraldry group.
1 of our members writes: ‘I enjoy heraldry because it’s a code, a sort of secret language hidden in plain sight that links us to our history. For me, it ties in perfectly with my interest in old churches and historic buildings and opens up a whole new dimension when I can look for particular families while also appreciating the architectural features.
Our heraldry guild brings together all that is good about Trefoil. We are friendly and inclusive, we support
each other, we share our various heraldry interests, we discover new things and teach each other in a relaxed and positive way. We have fun and those new friendships made at Hautbois have continued and grown.
We embody the Trefoil 4 key messages: find friendship, give support, get involved and get active, and heraldry fits perfectly with the Motivate themes.
To more than amply fulfil the land segment, why not plan a bus pass adventure to an interesting church or other historic building on a heraldry
hunt? If it’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, find out which charity supports your chosen destination. Sign up, tell others, arrange a fundraiser.
Some of us have used Anglia’s Beasts, Banners and Badges Challenge as part of our Voyage awards. We will also use this as a framework for some of the sessions at this year’s Discover Heraldry week. Sharing a skill also fits nicely into the STARS programme. Between meetings, we keep in touch with our newsletter filled with news, discoveries and even our optional homework. For the first of these we went in search of trefoils in heraldry. You can find us via the Trefoil Guild website using the Hautbois postcode (NR12 7JN) – or take the plunge and come along to the next Discover Heraldry week. I don’t want to give the impression the week is only for Trefoil members – anyone and everyone is welcome. As another of our members puts it: ‘be brave – spend a few days with friends you don’t know yet!’
Certificate for Joyce
Achievements
Joyce Hurrell was presented with thank you certificate and badge by the present chair, June Freeman, to celebrate her 65 years as a member of Sudbury Trefoil Guild. She was one of the founder members in 1959. The presentation took place at the Trefoil’s fundraising ukelele band concert in April at Great Waldingfield, Sudbury.
Exclusive award
Anglia president Vivienne Smith is pictured holding the new Trefoil Guild Anglia Thanks Award, exclusive to the region. A competition to design the award was won by Jayne Moore from Trefoil Guild Norfolk. At the region annual review, Jayne was presented with a thank you certificate from region chair, Evelyn Walker, for the design. Vivienne was presented with the first award for her pioneering efforts in bringing the award to fruition and for her dedication to the region as president for the past 3 years.
Rebecca is outstanding
Rebecca Jones of Gogarth Trefoil Guild received a Chwarae Teg Award for outstanding women volunteers in October. Rebecca is part of a Trefoil in Caernarfonshire county, Wales, who all have additional needs.
King’s Birthday Honours
Congratulations to the following Trefoil Guild members who have all received a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024: Hilary Richardson of Ulster for services to Guiding and the community in Tobermore; Phyllis Michael of Ulster for services to Girlguiding Ulster and to the community in County Londonderry; and Carol Marriott of Wirral for services to young people in West Kirby.
Charity champions
Members of Fermanagh Trefoil Guild raised £3,000 for the charity NIPANC (Northern Ireland Pancreatic Cancer) with a coffee morning earlier this year. Adele More, chair of Fermanagh Trefoil, presented a cheque to the charity.
Members also met Olympians Lady Mary Peters and her close friend Ann Brightwell (nee Ann Packer) MBE, whose husband Robbie (also a British Olympic athlete) died from the disease in 2022. They were accompanied by NIPANC chairperson, Ivan McMinn MBE, and Professor Mark Taylor, a trustee of the charity and leading NI hepatobiliary surgeon.
Have you received an award, or do you know someone who has? Send the details and a photo to The Trefoil. Contact details on page 2.
Have you tried the Motivate challenge yet?
The aim of Motivate is to challenge ourselves to step outside of our comfort zone, to show ourselves and others what we are capable of, while incorporating our 4 key messages: find friendship, give support, get involved, and get active. Why not share your challenges by posting on Facebook, or submit your photos for possible inclusion in The Trefoil?
Please note, for those of our members who may be housebound or less mobile, there is a list of activities on the Trefoil website that may be more suited to you. Please remember that these lists are only suggestions, you are welcome to use your own ideas. Once completed, badges are available through your country or region Trefoil team.
Sheila Leete
The national Trefoil Walk 2025
The Peak District National Park’s rolling hills, majestic moors and panoramic views await Trefoil members on next year’s national walking holiday
The Peak District calls Trefoil members wanting to join our national walking holiday. Following the success of our previous national walks, our next one will run from Monday 15 September to Saturday 20 September 2025, based at YHA Ilam (pronounced eye-lam). Full hostel occupancy is booked. The youth hostel is located 6 miles north west of Ashbourne. The building sits in 84 acres of National Trust parkland. Parking is free for National Trust members. Any driver who is not a member can buy a discounted parking ticket. The nearest rail stations are Uttoxeter (15 miles
away), or Belper (17 miles away). The programme will run on a similar basis as previous years. Dianne Bollom is organising the team of walk leaders and planning walks to suit all abilities. For anyone who enjoys walking and the outdoors, do consider applying to join us. Walks will be in the south Peak District and Staffordshire. Information on all walks will be circulated nearer the time, with bookings made onsite the evening before. Some walks may be organised to leave from the site. A coach will be booked for any walks with a starting point further away. There will be a
range of evening entertainment –maybe a local speaker, craft sessions, games, a singing session, quiz night or similar, and always a murder mystery for the last evening. If you prefer to just relax after a day of walking, there will be places to sit and unwind. Accommodation is full board, cooked breakfast to build you up for the day and an evening meal, with a packed lunch to take with you on your walk. Food allergies and intolerances are always noted. Booking forms for meal choices, as well as a full kit list, will be circulated before the event. Please note that this is hostel accommodation – rooms of varying sizes, with bunk beds. There are no single rooms. We aim to ensure that wherever possible, no rooms have full occupancy – that at least one bed space is free. Many participants travel with friends, but you won’t be alone if you’re travelling on your own. You will soon feel a part of the group.
Bookings open online on 1 October 2024. The cost is £475 per person. To confirm your place, a £100 non-refundable deposit is required. A total of 90 places are available. Please don’t delay your booking, as spaces fill up quickly! Should the website be showing that the holiday is full, please do contact the office to be placed on a waiting list. The balance is to be paid by 1 June 2025. Don’t forget to make sure that you have your holiday insurance in place. We look forward to welcoming you all to Ilam!
Working on your Voyage award?
Time to dust off your Voyage award record books and challenge yourself, says Sheila Leete, national programme and development adviser
Haven’t heard about the Voyage award? Don’t think it’s for you? Why not chat to someone who is working on their Voyage award, or has completed a level? You don’t have to sign up for all 3 levels. Completing the bronze level is a great achievement.
Compiled for Trefoil members, the structure is similar to the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, with 3 levels: bronze, silver, gold. There are 5 sections in each: service, explore my world, myself, teamwork, skills. Read this report from Angela Morfett-Jones, a Trefoil member from Anglia, on why she took up the Voyage award challenge:
‘With my bronze and silver awards completed, I know that Voyage has been the making of the new me – it might as well have been prescribed on the NHS! For some time, I had been my husband’s full-time carer. I now acknowledge that my ‘self’ became almost lost in the 24/7 role of caring. When he moved into a care home, I had to rediscover how to spend my time. Enter the Voyage award, the essential tool for self-discovery! The 5 sections couldn’t have been better - all the fields that I had had to let go.
‘Returning to volunteering for my bronze service section, I discovered where my skills lay, and what I could usefully find to move on to silver. With little time for myself, almost any challenge would have ticked the box for the myself section! For bronze, I had to admit that I’d lost the ability to walk further than to the postbox. I was aware that I was embarrassed to be seen with a rollator. Now I have completed a walking challenge for silver, the ‘new me’ strolling all
over the place with my trusty wheeled walking frame.
‘After limited personal time, teamwork was an exciting prospect. Working with others, the reward was the enjoyment of a well-planned event. My bronze and silver skills sections were based on Hautbois events. Firstly, Pootle, the weekend for the recorder and guitar players. Secondly, the summer Heraldry Week, topping up the hours by continuing with Anglia’s Beasts, Banners, and Badges Challenge.
‘Conscious of reusing and recycling, keeping things out of landfill, I concentrated on this ‘issue’ for the bronze explore my world section. I became involved in helping a friend dispose of unwanted items before downsizing. A chance to say thank you in a practical way for the support given to me when caring for my husband.
‘My husband had always initiated holidays. For my silver explore my world challenge, I had to face the challenge. Rollator and I took ourselves off to Peterborough to explore the tourist attractions and to take part in Holy Week and Easter in the cathedral, enjoying the holiday and gaining a great deal from the spirituality of the cathedral services.
‘If your life is in need of a serious reset, or even if it isn’t - do consider the Voyage award as part of your medicine. It has certainly been a real boost for me!’
If Angela’s report has sparked an interest, why not sign up now? Already
signed up but not actively working on your Voyage award? Dust off your record book now!
Contact details of your country or region Voyage award coordinator is on to the Trefoil Guild website where you can also apply to start: trefoilguild.co.uk/voyage-award
Now where did I leave my record book?
Land of the long white cloud
The ‘last hurrah’ tour of New Zealand led by the 2 Jennifers for Trefoil members from around the world was a challenge and a delight, says Janet Kemp of Trefoil South West England
Aotearoa is the Māorilanguage name for New Zealand and means ‘The land of the long white cloud’. In February 2024, 60 members of Trefoil from all over the world prepared to find out what this meant when they arrived in Christchurch, ready for a tour through both South and North Islands. Excitement and anticipation was evident as we caught up with old friends and made new ones. Many of you may have experienced the tours of New Zealand organised by the 2 Jennifers. They have introduced Guiding and Scouting members to their wonderful country over many years. Sadly, this tour was entitled ‘The Last Hurrah’, as it was the very last one. Many of the party had travelled via stopovers in Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Hawaii, Fiji. Some came eastwards, some westwards. In total, 24 hours
flying time from the UK.
Following an orientation drive around the city of Christchurch, we were taken in 2 buses, designated ‘Blue’ and ‘Green’, to Queenstown via Lake Tekapo, then via Wanaka to the Haast Pass and the west coast. The scenery changed dramatically on this route, from plains to glacial lakes, then mountains and rainforest bordering dramatic beaches.
Thinking Day was celebrated during the morning of 22 February in hot sunshine on the shore of Lake Wanaka. The 5 nations present (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, USA) all renewed their own promises as part of the ceremony organised by UK members from Cambridgeshire. Side trips were organised to visit Gibbston Valley Winery (in the Otago region) to see the Clutha River, which has a history of gold mining – and
today, jet boats! A small group also flew to Fox Glacier by helicopter. Travelling north and east then took us through farming hill country to the vine-growing areas of Marlborough, where we visited the very well-presented Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre in Blenheim, explaining events of the 2 world wars. From Blenheim, it was a short distance to the Marlborough Sounds, where the ferry for North Island left from Picton. Confusion following the ferry being cancelled the next day was resolved to enable us to reach Wellington overnight.
On the North Island, we enjoyed a tour of the capital and then we drove north. North Island is totally different from South Island. The scenery is volcanic, with extinct volcanoes and geysers across the landscape. Lake Taupo is a very large atmospheric example. From there we visited the very impressive glow-worm caves
and saw the extensive geothermal power station at Waitomo. Then on to Hamilton and Auckland, where we spent more time exploring, visiting Devonport and experiencing the Sky Tower. But, sadly, it was here that we also had to say goodbye.
14 days in 12 hotels was a challenge that we faced and achieved. It was a trip that will stay long in the memory. Thank you to all, especially our bus drivers and the 2 Jennifer’s for making this such a memorable adventure. ‘Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.’
Country and region reports
We look back at how Trefoil members enjoyed a wide variety of events and experiences during 2023
Anglia
The region annual holiday was held at Foxlease, a very nice way to say our farewell. The Anglia annual review at Thetford proved popular and was well organised by Norfolk. The highlight was the visit from the Dad’s Army folk from the local museum. Our new website page is looking good. Our new region Heraldry Trefoil have been out and about. Other speciality Trefoils are getting off the ground too. The highlight has been the introduction of an Anglia Thanks Award for members who go over and beyond for their Trefoil Guild. The first recipient was our region president, Vivienne Smith, thanking her for her inspiration and guidance for this award.
Evelyn Walker
London and South East England
Lots of celebrations for 80th including tree planting. October, LaSER annual review at Tonbridge School, the Gathering – both excellent. December was decorating Christmas trees. LaSER President Moyra Carey stood down, we welcomed Yvonne Allmond. The author who wrote a book on Sue Ryder and how the Guides helped during World War 2 has spoken at 6 Trefoil county meetings. Picnics, Trefoil camps, activity days, croquet and bowls. In April, we took over Warner’s Corton. Members from the Midlands and Anglia joined us. Portsmouth was the national Annual Meeting. Voyage award and Motivate had a good response. Thanks for your support.
Chris Martin
Midlands
Lots of activities were held to mark our 80th Anniversary, with the region celebrating at Staffordshire showground. Over 400 members enjoyed the magicians on stilts and the 40s singer Lola L’Amour. Even the murder mystery was fun! All counties celebrated the coronation and had days out to lots of places. They also tried many activities including curling, theatre trips and making postbox toppers. We were able to use the new Trefoil House in Birmingham. Janita and I visited Megamix camp and had a cuppa with the chief guide. Unfortunately, we lost some dear friends, including our president, Anne Strudwicke. We remember them with love. Huge thanks go to my team and others that have helped me; I couldn’t do this without you.
Elaine Diack
North East England
What a great year of celebration I had in North East England in 2023. A picnic in the botanical gardens as part of the 80th anniversary challenge, walking on Dartmoor during the national walking event, as well as a fabulous cream tea in the grounds of Newby Hall on our region grand day out. At our region service of Thanksgiving, boxes were overflowing with socks, hats and gloves produced by members for the homeless in York and the collection realised over £1,000 for their Christmas meal. Where else could you belong to an organisation that offers you a programme including wheelchair rugby, litter clearing, Nordic walking, stone carving, visits to theatres, cinemas, exhibitions and gardens – and cake with friends?
Dianne Bollom
North West England
This is my final report as North West England chair, before handing over to Jean Lawrowitsch, and I wish her well. Membership remained stable with new guilds opening up as programme planning became more flexible. Talks, visits and activities have all been enjoyed. Raising public awareness of Trefoil was a key component in our recruitment campaign and members braved poor weather to do just that at the royal county
Scotland
shows in Cheshire and Lancashire. 80 years of Trefoil was marked in various ways across the region, augmented by individual birthday challenges, celebrations and county wide events – topped by the region Blackpool bonanza, comprising a treasure hunt, afternoon tea and dancing in the tower ballroom. The region leisure break to Holland finally took place after a 2-year wait, challenges have been completed, charities supported and Guides and leaders sponsored. All in all, another very active year in Trefoil.
Jennifer Watson
To celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Trefoil, many guilds based their programmes around the 80th challenge, with acorns and oak trees being planted across the country. Guilds and counties joined together to celebrate with lunches, afternoon teas, sleepovers and BBQs. Our annual meeting in Perth in April was followed by the national Annual Meeting in Glasgow in June. The guest speaker was Avril Duncan talking about her work with children in India. In the evening, the Bearsden Fiddlers and the Sorries provided some traditional Scottish entertainment. The Trefoil rambles continued across Scotland with 17 walks taking place. There was also a long weekend in Aviemore. Members also enjoyed trips to Norway and Switzerland, including to Our Chalet.
Susan Hogg
South West England
Another great year in the region filled with wonderful activities. Our annual meeting in Portsmouth finished with entertainment provided by a group of young people called The Urban Vocal Group. These aspiring performers from humble backgrounds inspired us with their talent. Challenges for the 80th Anniversary kept us busy. The coronation also provided a chance for special events and tea parties. Programmes continued to be interesting and varied and there were anniversary services in Truro Cathedral and Taunton Minster. County walks in forests and arboretums kept us active. County camps were enjoyed, whatever the weather. Some counties and islands joined together in events at Foxlease, also in Guernsey and Devon. We saw members go to Lesotho and Thailand on TOPAZ trips.
Hilary Crane
Trefoil Guild in Foreign Countries
It was another active year for TGIFC and our members across the world have been busy. None more so than our new Trefoil, TGIFC Asia. We also have Trefoil Guilds in Benelux, France, Pinoso Spain, Malta, Gibraltar, St Helena, Cyprus and Bermuda, as well as members in the International Lones guild spread across the world. Many of our guilds meet in person, and in 2023 members have enjoyed outings, craft fairs, charity events and meals together. Our virtual guilds haven’t been short of fun activities either, with speakers, quizzes and crafts. Many of our members worked on the 80th Anniversary challenges, adapting them to their different countries and ways of meeting. Together we celebrated Thinking Day, the annual meeting weekend and Christmas with TGIFC virtual get-togethers.
Jo Greaney
Ulster
Ulster began 2023 with a celebration event in Fermanagh. We held an overnight at Killyhelvin hotel, with over 60 members. During the year, we had 1 new Trefoil open; they are having lots of fun. All the Trefoil Guilds had a variety of speakers and outings, and the whole of Ulster met up again on the 9 September for a walk and BBQ. Our AGM had 100 members attend. The 80th Anniversary and the challenge badge provided a great focus for programme. We love fun in Ulster and continue to promote that to members. Trefoil members joined with our Irish neighbours for meetings and outings. We continue to have a close relationship with Girlguiding Ulster. Karen Cochrane
Wales
80th Anniversary celebrations were the primary focus, with celebrations taking place across the principality. A snapshot shows how diverse and imaginative we are as an organisation – from building Lego, swimming in the sea despite the chilly weather, holding an ABBA residential, lighting historical buildings red and designing a flower bed in a local park. Add to that the 80th Anniversary parties held in a range of diverse venues, from picnics in castles, on a harbour, in the woods, and an afternoon tea on the Gwili Railway train and a London bus – members have certainly celebrated in style! Trefoil members listened to enthusiastic speakers, fundraised and supported Girlguiding and many worthy charities across Wales. Gwaith ardderchog pawb! Lesley Mathews
Trefoil Guild
Financial Report for the year ended 31 December 2023
Overview
The Trefoil Guild is a registered charity. We are a branch of The Guide Association, but maintain a separate identity. We are independently administered and financially self-supporting. At national level we have a committee of volunteers who meet regularly and undertake all major decisions and activities of the organisation with the exception of office administration tasks covered by 4 members of staff.
In accordance with the Royal Charter and Bye-Laws of The Guide Association, The Trefoil Guild is controlled and managed by a constitution, last updated in June 2023.
The board is responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and UK Accounting Standards.
The trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have completed a formal evaluation of these. Systems and procedures have been established to manage the risks identified.
Income
The main source of income continues to be membership subscriptions. These were down on last year. Income from investments was higher than and is greater than the fees charged to manage the funds.
Expenditure
Expenditure includes production of the
quarterly magazine, employment costs, membership support and activities and updating our website and database. Grants were given to GOLD and TOPAZ participants and Girlguiding as starter packs.
Reserves
The trustees consider the general reserve should be maintained at no more than 2 years of the annual expenditure to ensure it covers delays in receiving membership subscriptions or other fluctuations in income or expenditure. Reserves take into account enhancing members’ services and continued support for countries and regions to promote Trefoil. The reserves are made up of Expendable Endowment Funds, Designated Funds and General Funds. These include investments and net current assets. All funds remain in a healthy state.
Investments
The trustees aim to achieve income and growth from investments and require security. Professional advisers and managers manage the funds and their performance is regularly reviewed. There were net unrealised profits on investments at year end, and their value is higher than the original investment.
Conclusion
The assets of The Trefoil Guild continue to be adequate to fulfil all known obligations.
The Trefoil Guild
The Trefoil Guild
Unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023
Statement of financial activities
Balance sheet as at 31 December 2023
The enclosed figures are a summary of information from the Annual Report of Trefoil Guild. These summarised accounts may not contain sufficient information to allow for a full understanding of our financial affairs. For further information, the full annual accounts (which have been subject to an independent examination) and the Annual Report of the Trustees of Trefoil Guild should be consulted. Copies can be obtained via contacting the Trefoil office.
Eileen Martin for and on behalf the trustees.
Friendship and fun
The Distant Fellowship is an online Trefoil, and here 2 members tell us all about 2 of the residential events they’ve enjoyed
Summer camp
by Abigail Hughes
As an online Trefoil, we all relish an opportunity to meet up, usually in the form of a residential. In summer 2023, we planned an awesome group camp at Glenbrook Outdoor Activity Centre. Everything was planned, packed, and prepped, and then we arrived to some of the heaviest rain ever seen. Collectively, we quickly agreed to forgo the tents and instead use their indoor accommodation.
The first evening was filled with camp blankets, snacks and badge work. We’d decided to try our hand at the ‘adventures in the dark’ and ‘Glenbrook challenge’ badge, as well as continuing to chip away at our Trefoil 80th Anniversary and STARS badges. Saturday morning started
with a rather soggy archery session, where even the best waterproofs didn’t stand a chance. With mixed abilities in the group, it was nice that the instructor confidently gave us a range of games that everyone could get involved with.
Unfortunately, despite our best attempts to get a campfire started, the weather then rained off our ability to continue with the planned bushcraft and pedal go-karts. Instead, we all bustled indoors to dry off for some s’mores over tealights, group challenges, and food.
Alongside s’mores, we were delighted to support 1 of our members in making their promise. This trip really highlighted the importance of friendship in guiding.
Monopoly Run by
Kate Marsh-Ford
Every year, thousands of Scout and Girlguiding groups descend on London for 1 purpose: to play a citywide game of Monopoly. This year, we were among them.
We headed to the capital on Friday 1 March and spent the evening strategising. Then on the morning of 2 March, we headed to the grounds of the Imperial War Museum to get started. Armed with hot chocolate and raincoats, we braved the weather, starting out on the bus to Old Kent Road.
We were up against 6 other groups in our leaderboard, and we seemed to be off to a flying start, snapping up properties.
By lunchtime, the rain thankfully passed, just in time for us to rest with lunch. Although the challenge is full on, simple accommodations, rest breaks and an understanding group meant everyone was able to get involved.
After lunch, our in-game problems began. We were shelling out rent at the high-price locations like Mayfair and Park Lane, and the rest stops for most of us were getting longer while a couple of our group whizzed round the nearby area to visit as many properties as possible.
In the end, we came third in our leaderboard with a bank balance of -£2,725, visiting just over 50% of the board. It was great to see a few other Trefoil Guild groups there taking part. It really is a great day
out, and a fun way to see the city. If you’re planning on taking part in the future, we have 2 pieces of advice for you: make sure to plan your route in advance, and don’t worry about the competitive side. It’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that truly counts.
