Enfield Council Honours Guilduiding Volunteers

On Monday 15th October, a group of us were invited to an awards ceremony in Enfield council. Every few months, the council honours the volunteers in Enfield, or at least those who had completed 100 hours worth!

Over the past year, Jane Neal, Leah Attwell, Phoebe Lambdon, Louise Adlam and I have helped at various events with the Rangers, including selling programmes at the Jubilee pageant on June 3rd, and marshalling at a local charity night hike. Leah, Jane and Phoebe also assisted the re-opening of a local historical landmark, Forty Hall, and, along with Louise, are on rota as Young Leaders for two Guide packs in the area (doing up until half term with one, then swapping to be with the other group).

We all found out we were nominated a few weeks before the event, receiving the letters, where it was mentioned that the Division Commissioner, Jacqueline Martyr, was the person who put forward our names, and those of 3 other members. All of us were thrilled and humbled to receive the awards, not even hoping to get recognition for our time, but being pleased to. We’re also extremely grateful for the opportunities Girl Guiding, and the local community, give us to help them!

The thing about volunteering is that it’s so fun: we have a blast helping others, and we get to do them together, as well as making new friends, which just adds to the awesome experiences we get given to us on a plate. We’re definitely going to carry on volunteering – why wouldn’t we?

Alice Gould, Enfield East
Leader at the 3rd Guides and 27th Brownies, and member of Enfield East Rangers.

Vacancies

There are a number of vacancies within the county including; brownie adviser, senior section adviser, young leader adviser, training coordinator and outdoor activities adviser

If you are interested in any of the opportunities mentioned or would like more information then please contact Jess Kelly.

Real Role Models

As you will have seen Girlguiding has launched their Real Role Models campaign.

Girlguiding UK has assembled an array of famous former members – including Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds MBE and journalist Kate Silverton – to pay tribute to the skills, confidence and self-belief they gained through guiding.

The organisation has also launched ten inspirational videos featuring successful women from a range of careers and backgrounds, to inspire girls to think more widely about their futures and show them that anything is possible.

With the superb success that Team GB’s women have achieved at the London 2012 Olympic Games, there’s never been a better time to inspire girls and young women to be all that they can be – especially as recent research found many aged seven to 21 struggled to name a single famous sportswoman prior to London 2012. When asked which female sportswomen they could name, one respondent said: “That one in I’m A Celebrity…Fatima Whitbread”.

Britain’s sportswomen have made front-page news throughout the Olympic Games and many have become household names and – no doubt – role models, including former guiding members Victoria Pendleton, who won gold and silver in track cycling, and Lizzie Armitstead, who won silver in the cycling road race.

Earlier this year, Girlguiding UK’s ‘Girls’ Attitudes Explored…Role Models’ report showed girls suffering from an alarming lack of positive female role models, resulting in a narrow range of aspirations for their futures.

One the most shocking findings was that many girls dismissed entire industries and potential careers as ‘jobs for boys’, at a time when youth unemployment has exceeded 20 per cent.

Inspirational women

Girlguiding UK spent the day with ten inspirational women in a wide range of careers and industries, to show girls that no career path is out of reach.

Alex Culvin has played football at the highest level in England and the Netherlands, and is about to begin a Master’s degree.

Alex, who plays at left-back for Bristol Academy, said: “I can’t explain the importance for females to have role models, I can’t put into words how important it is.

“It’s not just in sport, it’s how you understand the things they go through to become that person. It’s all the challenges and adversity they face.”

Broadcast journalist Beccy Meehan covers financial news from around the world and presents several shows on CNBC.

Beccy said: “It’s so important to have a role model, it helps you to form your own ambition. It’s quite reassuring and motivating to see someone that has achieved what you are trying to achieve, to see what other women have tried to do.

“It’s a shame that reality TV [stars] and models have become the women with the highest profile in the media. When I was growing up there were a lot more positive women role models, and I hope that comes back again.”

Famous former members on what guiding means to them

A number of well-known former guiding members have spoken about how being a member had a positive on their lives, and equipped them with the skills and confidence that they still rely on today.

Paralympic gold medal-winning swimmer and former Brownie Ellie Simmonds MBE will be competing at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Ellie said: “I always enjoyed Brownies when I was younger. It was tremendous fun every time with a seemingly never-ending range of different activities to do, allowing us to have new experiences and develop new skills.

“It was a place where we began to learn to work as a team, developing the skill of taking responsibility for ourselves and others, while supporting and helping those around us.”

Kate Silverton is a television journalist and presenter, and a former Guide.

Kate said: “I loved bonding with my friends as we camped out - usually with the rain falling outside – but being happy that we were self-sufficient and always 'on an adventure'.

“The experiences I had during my girl guiding days have stood me in great stead for my job today as a broadcast journalist and I look back on those days with great fondness and thanks for what I learned.”

On the Radio!!! - by Martha Coleman

After attending the National Spokesperson training I was asked 4 days later if I was available to speak on the radio about the “Real Role Models” campaign. I was invited to speak on LBC (London’s Biggest Conversation) and BBC Radio Oxford by the PR Office’s Kim Sanders and Jim Ranger.

The LBC interview was to take place at 6:50am! For any teenager on their summer holiday this was a big ask… but I was willing to do it for the sake of Girlguiding! I just hoped I didn’t sound half asleep on the radio. The phone rang at 6:50 exactly and I was a bundle of nerves and excitement at the same time! I was going to be interviewed by Susan Bookbinder along with one of the 10 role models, Yewande Akinola, who is an engineer. The interview seemed to be over in seconds, or about 3 minutes! The questions were insightful and inquisitive which made a few of them more difficult to answer at that early hour. But, according to my adoring fans that woke up early enough, I sounded enthusiastic about Girlguiding and confident in what I was saying…which is always a positive!

The second interview took place at 9:07am on BBC Radio Oxford with Phil Gayle (3hrs 5mins in). I was interviewed as part of their conversation hour where Phil asked for the Oxfordshire public’s experience with youth organisations- great PR! Despite him calling me a Guide (several times) even though I’m a Ranger and calling Scouts, Boy Scouts, the interview went without a hitch and I really enjoyed it! I had a bigger audience of my adoring fans due to its more acceptable hour and hopefully a bigger audience of potential volunteers and girls who wish to join Girlguiding UK!

I can’t wait to do more opportunities such as these two for Girlguiding UK or even just local Middlesex East! Hopefully they won’t be so early next time…

National Spokesperson Training - by Martha Coleman

In June 2012 I received the application letter to apply for a place on the National Media Spokesperson training at CHQ. Realising what an amazing opportunity it was I worked straight away on filling in the two page application form, which ended up being three pages long after I finished writing in all the amazing opportunities Girlguiding had given me over the 11 years I’ve been in this wonderful organisation!

At the end of July I received conformation from the PR Office at CHQ that I had gained a place I was really excited but nervous, I didn’t have a clue what this training had in store for me!

Sunday 12th August came around quickly and I arrived 45 minutes early! I wondered down to CHQ, stopping off at Buckingham Palace to see the crowds already arriving for the Men’s Marathon. The training started at 10am with 4 of us from different areas of London in attendance.

Our first task was to choose a category at random and then talk about it for roughly a minute in front of a camera. I was unlucky enough to pick the category of Rugby League- something I know nothing about and with myself picking the piece of paper with number 1 on it; this was going to be a disaster! I spoke for all of 20 seconds. Not exactly a minute but it would have to do!

We then spent a while discussing different ways of describing the four key values of Girlguiding UK: equality and diversity, a girl only space, giving girls and young women a voice and GGUK’s relevance to today’s girls, whilst also relating the key terms to our own personal experiences. Practising interviews was next on the agenda and learning the different styles and how to respond to difficult questions. We were then filmed doing a practice interview, including the difficult questions, for Kim Sanders and Jim Ranger to assess whether what we had learnt that morning was being put into practice. When we watched them back (the worst part of the day…but then who likes watching themselves on TV!) the only thing our trainers picked up on was some use of Guiding jargon…oops!

Jim then spoke to us about the new media campaign “Real Role Models” and what media we may be invited to do if the campaign takes off in the media. We were then filmed again talking about our role models…but luckily we didn’t have to watch it back this time! By the end of the day both our trainers were very impressed with our progress and natural flair at stopping when needed rather than waffling on! (This, according to my Mum, is a major miracle!)

Thank you to Girlguiding UK for such an amazing opportunity and to Kim Sanders and Jim Ranger for an insightful training session.

A Summer to remember

Everyone in Middlesex East Girlguiding is welcome to join us at Northern Heights on Tuesday 14th August when Pip our Region Chief Commissioner visits our County on her Summer trip.

This is Pips Summer to remember when she will visit every County in the Region and Camp with them Her son Nick will be accompanying her.

The site will be open from 4pm for afternoon tea, you are welcome to bring the family and enjoy a picnic ,explore the site what ever takes your fancy. Stay for as long as you are able. If you can please bring a tent and breakfast and stay overnight. Let Alison know if you are going to join us.

We are looking forward to as many as possible taking part in this event.We appreciate that many people will be at camp or on holiday but those who are not please try to take part.

Pam Daniels

Enfield's Olympic Torch Bearers

Enfield division are very lucky to have two Olympic torch bearers! Julia Bailey and Helen coningsby.

Both Ladies will be caring the touch on the 25th July! For more information please visit the Enfield website.

Julia became the joint Brownie Leader of 8th & 26th Enfield Brownie group in 2004 to prevent the from

closing and has run the unit since 2006. Julia has been a leader with Brownies and Guides for the past 18 years after gaining her leadership qualification in 1994. 

The group includes children where English is not the first language and integration with others helps to grow their confidence. Julia's group has also had a deaf and mute brownie and Julia and the children learnt basic sign language so that all of the girls to interactive with each other. Julia has also volunteered at church youth groups over the past 10 – 15 years.

Julia Bailey and her Brownies

Julia and Helen

In 2001 Julia had an accident which left her with two cracked discs and in constant pain until eased

in 2008 by an operation and procedure called Dynesis which means that she now has 6 2 inch   titanium

screws in her lower back. This shows an even greater commitment to the community that these

activities have continued despite her illnesses, which most people do not know about as she never

complains. Julia also has arthritis in one of her knees.

Since 2005 she has taken part in four 5k events raising over £2,500 for various charities. The

last race was completed with 3 friends and a walking stick just 2 weeks before her back operation in

September 2008.

Helen has been at the 5th Enfield Guides since she was 10, she became a young leader and then gained her warrent to become a leader. Helen came back to guides after she went to University and at this point there was about 8 girls who had turned 14 but didn't want to leave the unit, herself and the other leaders spoke to them about becoming young leaders but they couldn't take on 7 young leaders and they wanted to stay at the unit so Helen decided to open a Ranger Unit, she gained her Ranger Warrant and Camp Licence and gradually the unit grew. 


Helen decided to go travelling for a year so two of the Rangers gained their licences before she left and they did a good job keeping the unit going while she was away, this was nearly 10 years ago and now the unit regulary has between 15-20 Rangers they meet every week and plan thier own programme, including Summer camp for a week every year.

Helen's unit had a recruitment drive for leaders about 2 years ago and through an advert in the paper they found new leaders who have been with them since then, Nansi is now training to become a Rangers leader so Helen has since moved back to run the Guide company.

Helen is currently preparing to gain her guide camp licence and is looking forward to the fantastic year ahead celebrating the Queens Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics.

Helen's partner Oscar nominated her for her volentry work and since nominating Helen he has started volenteering at a local Hospice.