This year Girlguiding is celebrating its ‘Centenary’. As part of the celebrations a National Camp was held at Hereward House near Leeds. On Wednesday 4^th August Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Senior Section, Leaders and Trefoil Guild Members from all over the country were able to attend an extremely well organised day called “FUSION”

There were over 20 performance areas scattered over the estate and no matter which way you turned there was something else to see or do. Workshops to join in on- balloon modelling and circus skills to name a few. A tree cosy was knitted for one of the estate trees! Adventure play grounds, Geopods with lots of hands on activities.

They even managed to import a beach (shame it wasn’t really beach weather!)

At the end of the day everyone assembled in front of the house for the Grand Finale. For this everyone had been asked to bring a piece of pink material. After Mexican waves and dance routines with everyone waving their ‘pink material’. Two hugh balls appeared to rise from behind the crowds and travel forward through the sea of people, suspended to these balls were gymnastic performers.

The group of Guides and Leaders from Cambs East travelled to ‘FUSION’ by mini bus, leaving I.V.C. at 7.30am and not arriving back until 9pm. A very long day. But it was well worth it! To experience this ‘never to be forgotten once in a life time day’!

Summer camp this year was at Belchamps Scout Activity Centre in Essex.

Guides enjoyed learning new skill. Activities included High Ropes (Jacobs Ladder & All On Four), crate stacking, climbing ropes/ladders. Girls also enjoyed rifle shooting, archery, trampolining, splash pool, an evening hike and a fun team building session.

We had glorious weather and managed to tie dye our t-shirts pink this year – which is the Guiding Centenary colour.

We also managed to spot shooting stars, satellites and consultations as we slept out under the stars on the last night.

Team Building Skills

Crate Stacking in Pink tie dyed t-shirts

We slepped under the stars

The quietness of ‘Rowley Mile’ race course was shattered on the morning of 3^rd July, not by the usual Thunder of hooves of thorough bred race horses and cheering spectators, but by the arrival of 20 coaches from all over the county bringing over 1700 excited Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section members of the Guiding Association, to a R.A.C.E. Day 100, unlike any other race day that the ‘Rowley Mile’ has ever seen!

This was ‘RACECOURSE ADVENTURE for CAMBRIDGESHIRE EAST (R.A.C.E.). One of the events to celebrate the Centenary of the Guiding Association.

Over 100 activities had been organised for the girls to try out. There were Cheerleader routines to take part in, archery to try to strike gold, climbing wall to master, and girls were able to take ferrets for walkies and cuddle lovely furry animals. In some of the activities the girls were awarded points that they could put towards their ‘Adventure 100’ badge. In other activities they were able to collect ‘jigsaw pieces’ which they would use in a Wide game called DECADES, in which they took part in activities starting with ‘learning semaphore’ in 1910 to ‘Guiding today messages on Memory Net’ in 2010 and other things associated with each decade including Cat’s Cradle and Hula Hoops 1950 and 1970 Space Hoppers which included a Derby Hopper Race.

Derby Hopper Space Race

In the Grandstand there was a range of crafts that the girls could choose from which included make up sessions, hair wrapping, drumming workshops and face painting.

The girls were able to play Human Table Football and Beach Volley Ball. An Assault Course was another challenge and Blowing Giant Bubbles was as popular as ever.

Human Table Football

Assult Course

Giant Bubbles

Entertainment was provided on the main stage all day. ‘Jezo’ gave performances of  Magic and did balloon modelling in between his shows. ‘Doodys Circus’ is where the girls tried stilts, unicycles, tight rope walking and pogo sticks. They learnt juggling, diabolo and plate spinning with Steve.

For the Grand Finale at 5 o’clock everyone young and older gathered to watch a production called ‘Something For The Girls! Now and Then’. This involved girls from each Division presenting a scene from the First 100 Years of Guiding. This started with the Historical and pivotal day in 1910 when girls gate crashed the ‘Scouting for Boys’ Rally at Crystal Palace and asked Robert Baden-Powell for ‘SOMETHING FOR THE GIRLS!’. This was followed by girls acting out various scenes depicting Guiding through the Century finishing with girls on stage holding pictures of flags of the 145 different countries who are part of the Guide Association today. During this performance  traditional campfire songs were sung. Then it was time for coaches and we wearily made our way home with a host of Happy Memories to Treasure of our R.A.C.E. Day.

Old Guide Uniform

Old Brownie Uniform

Feast Parade 2010

This year to celebrate the GirlGuiding Centenary we decided to dress up as presents in the Feast Parade.

The girls all looked fantastic.