Gannochy Trust Funding

Funding from The Gannochy Trust has again made a huge difference to our ability to support units across Scotland this year! In 2020, we renewed our strategic partnership with the Trust, beginning a new three year phase of our Developing Guiding project. A Growth and Development Worker role was established to help guiding in areas with the longest waiting lists and a Scotland-wide grant programme to aid local delivery has helped bring new members into guiding. This keeps units open and gives more girls across Scotland the chance to develop new skills and leadership.

In Edinburgh and Fife, volunteers were supported with recruitment activities designed to help rebuild units impacted by the pandemic. Our Growth and Development Worker, was the ‘face’ of the Developing Guiding Fund, creating online videos and offering 121 Zoom sessions to help volunteers across Scotland access the fund.

By the end of 2021, we’d supported 45 units with a grant to either welcome new girls or support their current ones to develop leadership skills, benefitting more than 600 girls. 40% of these units meet in the 50% most deprived postcodes in Scotland (SIMD 2020 v2). We’re excited to be continuing this work next year as the project runs until July 2023.

“My daughter found lockdown really hard and is still more emotional than usual. Attending this event was great as it gave her the opportunity to meet with other Guides who will be at, and are at, the big school, and she came home with a huge smile on her face. We would not have been able to attend [the event] without your support as it’s been a very difficult year due to lockdown both emotionally and financially.” (Parent)