GIRLGUIDING IN WHITSTABLE
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any people think of Girlguiding as
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something rather old-fashioned, to do with knitting, knotting and hostess badges... But the world of guiding has moved on, and girls now have the opportunity to try their hand at any number of things - from abseiling to kayaking. The Guides’ philosophy has always been to learn by doing things - in a fun way, without pressure. This is the main reason why the girlguides have remained resolutely a girl-only space: “It’s about taking the pressure off and giving girls a chance to be themselves, without worrying about what they look like or whether they need to reapply their lipstick!” says leader, Rosemary Mills. “Take abseiling, for example it’s very physical, and normally the domain of boys. How many girls would feel comfortable trying it for the first time if they were worried about how they might look in front of the boys?”
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And the feedback from the girls themselves only supports this view: “They like to have a girl-only environment, when they can relax and really be themselves without any distractions...” And although things have moved on, Girlguiding still teaches valuable life-skills. Some, like managing money and budgeting, which our mothers and grandmothers would have taken for granted - but others are particularly relevant to the issues of today, such as cyber-safety, environmental awareness, and healthy body image. There are currently more than 300 members in Whitstable who are Rainbows, Brownies or Guides, plus about 60 adult leaders. To find out about Rainbows, Brownies or Guides near you, contact Rosemary Mills at rkmills@btinternet. com, on 01227 274588, or check out the website www.girlguiding.org.uk to see what 21st century Guides get up to. Christina Birkett
theimp
In 2010 Girlguiding UK celebrates 100 years since the organisation began. Here in Whitstable, September will see the launch of a year of celebrations. The IMP will keep you informed of everything that’s going on, including an exhibition at Whitstable Museum early next year - which is where you come in! It is said that 50% of women have belonged to the Brownies or Guides at some point in their lives and they will all have memories - or memorabilia - from these times. Do you have photographs of yourselves or your friends in uniform - or were you even a Brownie in the Blitz? If you have any interesting stories or pictures and you’d like participate in the exhibition, Rosemary would like to hear from you: “We would like to make contact with lots of past members in order to gather their memories of being in the Guides, and hopefully some of their pictures too.” You can contact Rosemary at rkmills@btinternet.com or on 01227 274588.