Here we are again, well and truly stuck in to another school year. The Brownies made the most of the gorgeous sun and light evenings at the beginning of September by swarming the field behind the Scout HQ and enjoying some good old team games.

As the Summer turned to Autumn we returned to the warmth of the Scout HQ hall to make friendship bracelets and ‘Good Turn Mice’. This provided a great introduction to the new girls of the Brownie Promise and Law. The next Promise Evening will have taken place by now (30.11.11) and the new faces of July and September will have become full members of the 2nd Rolleston Brownies. It’s always a lovely evening and provides opportunity for some older Brownies to complete their Hostess badge by making and bringing cakes, sandwiches and table decorations to cater for the guest families of the new Brownies.

The rain and cloud of October arrived just in time for our bell-boating session at Manor Park Sailing Club. Regardless of the chill and drizzle the Brownies got stuck in to their training in preparation for the annual bell-boat regatta the following week. We left that evening sodden but excited about the upcoming race against the Whittington Brownies. The day of the regatta arrived and spirits were high with all the girls looking fantastic dressed as Lady Gaga. As their boat was yellow it was named the ‘Gaga Banana’ which they chanted for the duration of one of the races for all of Rugeley to hear.

Unfortunately we were pipped to the buoy in the second of the two races and as this was the deciding race we left without the trophy paddle for the first time in three years. We all had a lot of fun though, with a parents and leaders race thrown in for good competitive measure.

On we go towards winter then, and we’ve got a great programme planned for the Brownies. Vanessa, one of the assistant guiders, will be showing us how not to get into a paper pickle making origami rockets in acknowledgement of Guy Fawkes Night. We’ll be looking out for a clear night so Laura, our unit helper, can lead a ‘You’re a Star’ themed evening looking at star constellations, self-esteem and making star decorations. There will be bead craft and the creation of festive greeting cards too.

We also have the Advent Festival to prepare for. This year the theme is ‘World in Waiting’ – investigating how countries celebrate Christmas differently. We’re looking at Hungary, and we’ll spend a couple of weeks concentrating on crafts and decorations ready for the Advent Weekend (25th-28th November).

Christmas will be fast approaching by the time the Rollestonian reaches you, and our traditional Christmas Party will round off a busy term with music, food and games. Santa might even drop by for a cupcake. So, here’s to the start of what we anticipate to be a wonderful festive season!

Emily Dawson, Assistant Guider and Leader-in-training.

All the Brownies’ (and parents’) hard work paid off for the Carnival. The ‘Brownie Library’ looked very bright with a collection of characters and book covers. I’m afraid I’ve lost touch with children’s literature and didn’t recognise some of them, although some Brownies had never heard of Worzel Gummidge either! They won a well-deserved first prize in the walking ‘float’ section especially as we did have some competition this year.

We made use of the light summer evenings to have games outside; the girls spent another evening indoors making pizzas on a bread roll and another decorating shoes, wellies, boots and trainers for our entry in the ‘Bloomin Feet’ competition on Gardens’ Sunday. We don’t have much time in the meetings but the overall effect of the decorated ‘Brownie Footpath’ looked good on the day although the flowers didn’t flower properly until a week later. I know how the Chelsea exhibitors must feel now. Anyone who was a Brownie in the 60s to the 90s may remember that the Brownie Footpath was the first year Brownie Challenge badge. No one won but I hope that the girls planted out their pots of flowers for the rest of the summer. If you went to Trentham Gardens this holiday the Gardeners’ World 2010 award winning Guiding Centenary garden has been replanted there for this year.

Emily Dawson who has been a popular Young Leader and a Unit Helper with the Brownies for several years, has started her Leadership Qualification and organised a walk for the Brownies around Brook Hollows towards the end of the term that will go towards two badges next term.

This year we will have a large presence at the Village Gala as most of the Brownies have produced a drawing or a painting for one of the children’s’ classes. The Gala will have taken place by now. I hope some were successful with their art and any other classes that they entered. I know that many villagers appreciate their collective efforts at village events and I hope that the girls enjoy taking part. With the remainder of the Legs 11 challenge and Jubilation next year, there will be plenty of community activities to take part in.

We collected Sainsbury’s and Tesco vouchers during the summer term and have sent off for more activity equipment. Very many thanks to everyone who collected vouchers for us.

As usual, the last Brownie meeting was Party evening with party clothes, music, games and food.

I hope that you all had an enjoyable and exciting holiday. There’s a lot to look forward to next term.

Delia Wyers (Assistant Guider).

The girls have had a busy term, playing games, making things, celebrating and planning for future events. They made Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter Cards as well as chocolate Easter nests. For the Chinese New Year they had fun with chopstick races and making Dragon masks. And after half term there were the Pancake races to practice for. Unfortunately they didn’t win but they did their best and enjoyed the day. Well done and thank you to everyone who took part.

After the success of the previous Mum’s and Daughter’s evening we invited Mums along again for another evening of fun and games. Thank you to the Mums for helping the Brownies sow their seeds for the Gardens’ Sunday Boots and Shoes. The seeds have all germinated; all I have to do is look after them until July! Each Brownie sowed a pot each of wild flower and country garden seeds. The remainder of the evening was spent designing and creating hats, some of which would not have looked out of place at Westminster Abbey at the Wedding, and trying out the play equipment from Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s voucher collections.

We have had two Promise evenings, one for the girls who joined before Christmas and another for the spring term newcomers. The first meeting of the summer term celebrated the Royal Wedding with a Red White and Blue Party before we started preparing for summer term events. Planning for the Carnival Parade is well under way and a week later Burton Guiding May Fayre at the Orchard. Our Bill and Ben scarecrows from last year’s Scarecrow Festival will be there in the woodland. Despite needing rain, let’s hope for good weather for both events.

Finally, congratulations to Vanessa Johnson on completing her Adult Leader Qualification for both Brownies and Guides. In addition, as the retirement age for Guiders has been raised I am officially a Guider again at least for a few years!

Gardens’ Sunday Reminder:
Please can parents and friends of the brownies remember to save their old footwear for all our pots of plants for gardens’ Sunday in July. They can be painted and decorated if you like.

Delia Wyers, Brownie Guider.

The last few weeks of the autumn term were disrupted by the bad weather and frozen and a week when most of the girls were either on the School Activity week or at a school music concert. However we finished the 100 Centenary stars for the colourful and sparkly Advent Christmas Tree, each Brownie making a bead, origami and holographic star with a few extra contributions from the adults. On the last evening the girls enjoyed games, dancing, food and a present at their Christmas party although unfortunately Santa couldn’t come. I hope that he was feeling better by Christmas Eve! Each of the girls has been given a small 2011 calendar with Centenary memories. Maybe in another 100 years, a few may be able to say “I can remember that!”

With more weather problems the Leaders wondered if they would get to Lichfield for the County Guiding Carol Service, after a forecast of several inches of snow and icy roads. We were lucky as the east of Lichfield had six inches and the centre almost none. We enjoyed the Service but despite arriving early we were still at the back of the Cathedral!

The long Easter term has only just started and so far we have been busy with games, planning activities and Carnival ideas. Offers of help from parents to look after a stall would be appreciated. The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit will occupy one evening; the Guiding 2011 Legs 11 Challenge and practising for the Pancake Races on Saturday 5th March are also on the calendar. After the successful Mums and daughters evening, we hope to organise one for parents and daughters.

There are a few dates to note in your diaries:

Sunday 3rd July: Gardens’ Sunday. There will be no scarecrows this year. Instead there will be a footpath of feet between St Mary’s Church and the Old Grammar School. We will need old boots and shoes after the Easter holidays. PLEASE DON’T THROW THEM AWAY. PLEASE SAVE THEM FOR GARDENS’ SUNDAY AND THE LEGS 11 EARTH MAIDENS CHALLENGE.

Saturday 9th July: Legion In The Community. The RBL are hoping to celebrate 90 years with a Parade of Village organisations and an exhibition of posters produced by the primary school children.

We may take our scarecrows out for the day dressed with a television theme, as they are unhappy about not being part of Gardens’ Sunday this year. The Unit hopes to provide games using the equipment ‘purchased’ using the Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s vouchers, to raise money for the Rolleston Brownies and for the Orchard Camp site. Help from parents would be welcomed. The Fair is a good time to stock up with bedding and vegetable plants at bargain prices.

Delia Wyers (Retired Guider, but still helping).

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Burton Division Guiding May Fair
The Orchard Campsite, Tatenhill
Saturday May 21st
Fancy Dress, Games, Stalls,
Refreshments and BBQ

Sunday May 22nd
Stalls, Plants and Refreshments

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