Girlguiding keeps 'Girls in the Lead' 100 years from its beginning
Lily Dane • Published 25 Feb 2010 10:07
0 Comments
Share this
Maria Ellis teaches some of the Guides how to dance Hawaiian style at the Bawnacre Centre.
One hundred years of Guiding are currently being happily celebrated by Girlguiding Fermanagh's 500 members.
Girlguiding UK is the largest organisation for girls in the UK today and over 300 members from the county's 29 units greatly enjoyed sharing 'One World One Beat' Thinking Day 2010 at the Bawnacre Centre, Irvinestown, on Saturday - the same weekend that their UK counterparts were also engaged in this activity.
The gathering in Irvinestown - one of many special events which have been organised locally to celebrate this special centenary year - served as a fun day for all sections and incorporated aspects of music, dance, food and craft from different regions of the world.
One hundred years ago, Robert Baden-Powell, a famous army general (who had just formed the Scout Movement) formed the Girl Guides - and as the Fermanagh members continue to celebrate Guiding's formation, they emphasise that although the organisation has moved with the times and is as modern and ground-breaking today as it was in 1910, many of the core values remain the same.
Girlguiding continues to encourage a 'can do' attitude in its members and to help girls and young women develop physically, emotionally, and spiritually enabling them to make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world.
"The guides are still a girl-thing," and Catherine Irwin, County Commissioner of Girlguiding Fermanagh, said "members continue to appreciate the safe, inclusive space where girls can be comfortable just being themselves".
She points out: "This does not mean that we only do stereo-typical "girl things" - today members can develop skills and work for a variety of badges and awards including circus skills, computers, science, football, independent living, party-planning and chocolate (always a popular one!). Our current Girlguiding strapline for the UK is "Girls in the Lead" which underlines how we encourage our young women to lead in the development and choice of our weekly programmes and activities. It's very important to us as an organisation that we stay modern and relevant to today's girls".
According to Catherine Irwin - Northern Ireland is actually the only part of the UK which has seen a rise in membership this year. This popularity shows that it is a modern, progressive organisation.
"We are a multi-faith organisation and our aim is to welcome even more members and helpers from a wider diversity of cultures," commented 1st Enniskillen Brownie leader June Crowe.
"We have produced a wide range of resources for our volunteers to raise awareness of diversity", she said.
"Today's young guiding members are involved in a wide range of community projects and last year we ran a programme called Changing the World with 19 partner organisations. Here locally we raised money for Wateraid, an organisation which aims to raise funds that will help to improve the lives of some of the poorest communities in Nepal by enabling them to gain access to safe drinking water and a programme of hygiene education".
This summer, many of the Guides are set to pack their bags and head to 'Yahoo 2010' - a special Girlguiding Centenary Camp at Lorne - one of the highlights of this special year.
Claire Irwin from Monea Guides believes "camping is great fun." She said: "It gives me the chance to try out so many great activities with my friends - it is so busy and at the end of the week you go back home and you are so looking forward to the camp next year."
A full programme of pursuits has been arranged by Girlguiding Fermanagh to celebrate the milestone year and every single member is being encouraged to take on a personal challenge by getting involved in Adventure 100 - a chance for everyone to experience something out of the ordinary during the year; to try new things and have fun.
The special events began with their Launch Party in September 2009, followed by a Fermanagh District Council Chairman's reception in the Town Hall last October.
Earlier this month, February they held a hugely successful Centenary Ball in the Killyhevlin Hotel and on Saturday past, they had their Thinking Day celebrations for all members.
At the County Captain Ball Competition in November, the family of the late Shirley Phair presented the County with a Perpetual Cup in her memory. "Shirley was a life-time member of Girlguiding in Fermanagh, and County Secretary at the time of her death. She was a real role model for all Guides, and it has meant a lot to the County to receive this special memorial, especially in our Centenary Year," said Sue Hogg, County President. "The cup was to be given to the girl demonstrating the best sportsmanship on the night, and was won by Sarah Armstrong from Lisnaskea Guides."
In a few months, approximately 100 Brownies from the County will share in the "Celebrations 100" Pack Holiday in Girlguiding Headquarters in Lorne and during April there will be a Walk at Colebrooke Estate (a venue, which has a long history with guiding).
In May, Fermanagh Rainbows will take part in the "Go Wild at the Zoo" Girlguiding Ulster event at Belfast Zoo and in May Brownies are set to "take over Devenish Island".
In June, some adult members from the County will attend the Ulster Centenary Ball at Belfast's City Hall and later that month, a Fermanagh Rainbow Princess Party - a UK wide event - will be held at Castle Archdale.
This summer, Fermanagh Guides will share in the week-long centenary camp, "Yahoo 2010".
The Centenary Finale in Fermanagh to be held in October - will be attended by all sections, as well as the Trefoil Guild, and a special promise badge will be released.
Catherine Irwin, County Commissioner of Girlguiding Fermanagh, took up office in March 2009 - a significant time for Girlguiding UK.
A long time member, she remembers 'counting the hours' until she turned nine and was able to join 1st Monea Guides. At that time, the Guider was Noreen Acheson, who along with Gladys Latimer started the unit.
Catherine followed in the footsteps of her late mother, Olive Morrison, who was a guide in Lisbellaw, while her own daughter, Rebecca was delighted to be able to join 1st Monea on her 10th birthday last year.
Catherine maintained her association with the movement while at Queen's University, and after finishing college she served as a Guider in Limavady. Following her return to her native county, and after a short break when her children were small, she went back to Monea guides as a Guider. She will hold office as County Commissioner for a five year period.
In reference to the history of guiding, Robert Baden-Powell formed the Girl Guides in 1910 and asked his sister Agnes to look after the new organisation. A few years later his wife Olave became involved and, in 1918, she was appointed Chief Guide.
Such was the enthusiasm for guiding that it soon spread worldwide and since those early days countless millions have made the Guide Promise. Today there are 10 million girls and women involved in Girlguiding worldwide.
Girlguiding - which includes Rainbows (aged four to seven)), Brownies (aged seven to 10), Guides (aged 10 to 14) and Senior Section (14 to 25) - is still the biggest organisation for young women in Britain with some half a million young members aged four to 25.
Girlguiding UK is a founder member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, the largest youth organisation for girls in the world with more than 10 million members in 144 countries.
Celebrity former members include Cat Deeley, Glenda Jackson, Lorraine Kelly, Mo Mowlam, Anita Roddick, Helen Sharman (the first British woman in space), Tanni Grey-Thompson, Zoe Ball, Emma Thompson, Gail Porter, Carole Vorderman, Carol Smillie, Davina McCall and Cherie Booth.
In Girlguiding Ulster, there are 2,187 adult volunteers who deliver a weekly programme to more than 11,415 girls and young women in 614 units across Northern Ireland.
Girlguiding Fermanagh began in 1926 with its first unit - 1st Enniskillen Guide Company.
There are 29 Units across the county - active in Enniskillen, Florencecourt, Monea, Rossorry, Kesh, Lisbellaw, Tempo, Maguiresbridge, Lisnaskea, Newtownbutler.
There are 80 adult volunteers and 9600 volunteer hours are provided annually.
"It is a wonderful organisation for girls," believes the County Commissioner, who adds that "the fun they have as leaders is fantastic" and the friendships that they make within guiding are "wonderful". "We really support each other so strongly and so well," she said.
"The volunteers we have in Fermanagh are superb. This year we are organising so many things. There is so much talent in the county with people being able to organise fabulous events for the girls," said Catherine, whose comments have been clearly illustrated by the success of Thinking Day in Fermanagh and there are more celebrations to come!
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 25 Feb 10
Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.
