The autumn term started for the Brownies with our Centenary Picnic on the Croft. About fifty past and present members of Guiding popped in to say hello and to sign the Centenary Memories book. The girls just managed to finish eating their picnic and birthday cake when a rain shower chased us back into the Old Grammar School to look at photos and memorabilia from Rolleston Rainbows, Brownies and Guides. An indoor Campfire singsong completed an enjoyable afternoon for everyone.

At the first meeting, back at the Scout H Q, the Brownies decorated paper plate faces to enter into the Village Gala, swelling the entries in the Children’s section and winning 1st and 3rd prizes with two of the faces. Well done to them and to the other Brownies who entered other classes whether they won or not.

Two weeks later the Brownies, with Vanessa at the helm, won the ’Paddle’ for a second time at the Staffordshire Guiding County Bell Boat Regatta. Unfortunately, they lost the Tug of War but the Rolleston parents won their race. Congratulations.

The half term seems to have passed very quickly with lots of games, painting using vegetables, making ‘Wacky 100 Shapes’ for their last Centenary Challenge and decorating their corsages for the Burton District Centenary Prom. The Sainsbury’s Vouchers equipment has arrived although the girls haven’t had much time to play with it yet. Many thanks for all the donated vouchers. We would have to raise the subs considerably to buy everything.

The Prom was the highlight of the year, attended by almost all the unit, the girls dressed in their best dresses danced the evening away to the Disco, enjoyed party food and renewed their Promise with Guiding members from all over the UK, led by the Chief Guide at 20.10hours on 20.10.2010 at Burton Town Hall. Afterwards the Adult leaders enjoyed a meal at a nearby Greek restaurant, some also dancing the night away!

Soon after half term we will be making decorations (with a Centenary theme of course) for the Advent Festival Tree. Nearer Christmas the Leaders will be attending the Staffordshire Guiding Centenary Carol Service at Lichfield Cathedral and the Brownies will have their usual end of term party.

At present the unit is full with a waiting list, which is swelled by girls from Stretton. Many girls would like to join Guides and we have enquiries about Rainbows but all the local units are full. We are desperately in need of adults to help start up new Rainbow and Guide units and possibly another Brownie unit in the village.

When this is published it will be almost Christmas and I send my best wishes to everyone for Christmas ands the New Year, and my thanks to all the Leaders, Unit Helpers and to the parents for all you do to support the girls during their time in Brownies.

Delia Wyers (retired but still helping)

The Brownies have enjoyed a hectic term with wonderful weather helping them to complete many of their Centenary Challenge activities and have fun at the same time.

After Easter we made accessories for the Carnival Scrabble pieces. Even though we were the only group walking, their colourful costumes deserved a prize. A week later we ‘Took To The Tracks’ on the Churnet Valley Railway, a County Brownie Centenary event. Activities, games and handling owls as well as the steam rail trip with a quiz and songs (eg Oh You’ll never get to Frogsnort on an old steam train) based around a well-known young wizard made the day memorable. Ater a walk along the Cauldon Canal for a late picnic lunch at Froghall Wharf Industrial Heritage Site we explored the trackways and limekilns. Our many thanks to Councillor John Morris who arranged a grant for the coach, enabling all Brownies who wanted, to attend this event.

Indoors, meetings included making ‘Little Weed’ for our flowerpot Scarecrows Bill and Ben, dancing, making bird boxes for Greater Spotted Woodpeckers to be put up in Brook Hollows, an Italian evening with games and food and the end of year party.

Four of the meetings were away from the Headquarters. During Brook House Open Week the Brownies made crafts, played games and sang songs all of which would have been familiar to girls 100 years ago and were given Open Week badges. They were fascinated by the collection of old uniforms, badges, photos, handbooks and memorabilia.

This year, all our outdoor activities took place. We made use of the new Tafflands Playbuilder equipment right on our doorstep to complete the ‘Up High’ Centenary challenge. Hopefully, girls who have never been there will want to return with their families. Another evening was spent getting very wet whilst Bell boating at Manor Park Sailing Club giving Vanessa and Emily more helming practice. The County Bell Boat Regatta will be on October 2nd this year. Can we retain The Paddle for another year? The following week there was more fun tobogganing at Swadlincote Ski Centre. Some Brownies were whizzing round very confidently. Girls also visited the Burton Division May Fair at the Orchard at Tatenhill and the ESBC event, Go Wild at Brook Hollows.

The first meeting next term will be on Wednesday 15th September when we will make Paper Plate Faces to enter in the Rolleston Country Gala on the following Saturday. Remember to collect bits and pieces for it and to consider entering some of the other children’s classes.

Calling all past and present members of the Guide Association living in Rolleston. On Saturday 11th September, 2 –5pm on the Croft (or in the Old Grammar School if it is wet) we will be holding our Centenary Picnic. Bring your own picnic, meet old friends and make new ones. Help us collect 100 signatures. Contact 813405 for details.

Delia Wyers,
Retired Guide Guider, but still helping.

After the late start to the term’s meetings because of the bad weather, we celebrated the Chinese New Year by making chocolate dragons and playing games. It wasn’t very long before the Pancake Races and the Brownies entered three teams. Despite a very good effort they didn’t manage to win. Better luck next year. The Brownies made Mother’s Day cards and invited Mums along to a meeting of games and a Newspaper Fashion Parade. Everyone enjoyed it and we shall repeat it again. During the remainder of the term the girls made Friendship bracelets and Clown puppets as well as played parachute games On St Patrick’s Day they made up and performed an Irish Dance in their Sixes.

The summer term always seems very busy with very little time to enjoy the light nights out of doors. Back from the holidays we started planning for the Carnival, this year Scrabble pieces for the Board Games theme. As I write, the weather is changing; let’s hope Carnival Day doesn’t herald the start of a wet summer again. We have several outdoor activities planned including making bird boxes for Brook Hollows, enjoying the new Playbuilder area and possibly bell boating at Manor Park Sailing Club and tobogganing/tubing at Swadlincote Ski Centre. Most of the girls will be going to a Centenary Event when Staffordshire Brownies Take To The Tracks at the Churnet Valley Railway.

Burton Guide Association will be holding their May Fair on the 22nd/23rd May at the Orchard at Tatenhill to raise funds for the upkeep of the Campsite. As usual there will be plants for sale and activities and competitions for the girls. Closer to home we have to dress up our Scarecrows for Gardens Sunday on July 4th. Please do come along.

On September 11th we hope to hold a Centenary Picnic to which all former members of the Guide Association are invited. Watch out for information nearer the date.

Delia Wyers, Retired Guide Guide, but still helping

Since the Winter Rollestonian was published the Advent Festival and Christmas activities have been the most important activities in the Brownie calendar. The Brownies enjoyed making decorated stars, angel decorations, colourful, feathered cone birds and a veritable zoo of animals over several meetings for their Advent Festival display, as well as all appearing in a Brownie choir photograph around the crib in the tableau. There were a few construction problems to bear in mind for another time and some rescues using camping skills (square lashing and guy ropes!) necessary. Thankfully the whole display stayed upright. The girls did enjoy showing their friends everything they had done. They then enjoyed cake decorating, a board games evening and a Christmas party before the end of term.

This term we seem hardly to have started as two weeks were cancelled because of the icy conditions. Plans to design wall mosaic panels for the Staffordshire Guides Garden at the gardeners World Live show at the NEC were abandoned, but in the first week back as well as playing games all the Brownies wrote what they liked about Brownies. These comments are to be transferred to yellow Journey sticks for part of the garden. Adults’ comments will edge the garden. If you visit the Show (16th – 20th June)do look out for it. During the second meeting the girls made Friendship bracelets.

There are plans to enter two teams in the pancake races and to see Dick Whittington at the Brewhouse as well as attending the Centenary Thinking Day Service at St Modwen’s Church on Sunday February 21st during half term.

We hope that some of the Brownies will be able to go to the Midlands Centenary Carnival in Birmingham on April 25th and that we can all go to a County Brownie Activity Day on the Churnet Valley Railway on 15th or 16th May.

There may still be a few Burton Guiding Calendars available priced £5. Please contact me if you would like one.

Also a reminder to collect Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s vouchers for the Brownies to get more games equipment.

Quite a short report this time but the Brownies will still have lots of things to do and there will be many village activities to take part in.

Delia Wyers, Retired Guide Guider, but still helping.

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