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It will be almost Christmas when you read this but as I am writing this during half term there are still seven weeks of the term left. A new term and as usual a few new Brownies have joined us. We also congratulated three Brownies who won prizes with their collages at the Gala. All the Brownies tried hard with their entries and helped fill up Rolleston Club. A few also entered other classes. Well done for all their efforts. We have also received the parcels from Tesco and Sainsbury’s containing goodies for craft and activities. Thank you all for sending your vouchers along. It really does help us provide a few extras for the Brownies to enjoy.
Looking back over this term so far we seem to have concentrated on games and food! Brownies always love games and we’ve played lots especially when they were waiting their turn to make Pizzas, decorate mini cupcakes and make sweets. Parachute games are always popular and exciting and I am amazed that the parachute has lasted so long without needing another repair!
After an evening Bell boating in the summer term we were looking forward to the Brownie Bell Boat Regatta at Kings Bromley Sailing Club. However, we did not realise that Rolleston Choral Society’s 50th Anniversary Concert was the same day and some of our team were involved. From all accounts they contributed to a fantastic concert, and we will make sure that we compete in next year’s Regatta.
Today several Brownies plus families defied a forecast promising heavy rain to complete the Scary Trail at Sudbury Hall. The rain didn’t arrive and they had a challenging and fun afternoon making up a story about a skeleton found in the cellars from clues around the grounds and afterwards enjoying the play area.
After half term, the Bonfire and Firework craft evening, preparations for the Advent Festival and Christmas crafts and the party will ensure time passes all too quickly. Before we know where we are, this term will have flown by.
As 2012 draws to a close it is amazing to reflect on everything that the girls have found time to do; Guiding Music and Dance, Carnival, Jubilee Celebrations, Community Day, Guiding Steps 2012, decorating Scarecrows, Rolleston Gala, concerts and the Advent Festival. The Brownies have really done their best for the community. Well done.
We again have a full unit with a waiting list and hope that the girls who are already seven will soon be able to join us. We are still hoping that Guides can be restarted in the village. If you or someone you know could help, then please come and talk to us. Many of the girls want to join Guides when they leave Brownies.
We already have plans and ideas for the spring term with badge work, craft and more games and food.
Finally, I wish all the girls and their families a very happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year.
Delia Wyers
Considering all the challenges that we had set ourselves, all our Carnival, Jubilee weekend and Gardens Sunday plans were achieved and despite the dreadful weather the girls enjoyed themselves.
Over twenty ancient Greek Brownies took part in the very colourful Carnival Olympiad and won first prize.
We immediately had to concentrate on Jubilee weekend preparations. Each girl dressed a Brownie Princess to attend the Party at the Palace on our boat ‘The Brownie Princess’. Plastic bodies ensured that they didn’t disintegrate into soggy lumps of card and material! All the girls enjoyed several evenings practising the three dances for the Jubilee Concert on the Croft (or rather the Picnic in the Pews). There were a few hitches, (which CD to use and which tune!) but they enjoyed both taking part and the whole concert. Brownies who couldn’t come to the concert helped to decorate the Jubilee Banner with a selection of badges representing the Brownie Sash.
A lot of effort was put into the well dressing, from the design to choosing the colours for clothing. Brownies and parents turned up to help and it was completed on time. At least the Jubilee opening day weather was good and everyone could enjoy their achievement before overnight rains rather spoilt all their efforts. The final Jubilee event was the Cricket Club BBQ when we offered play equipment and organised craft activities for younger children. There were quite a lot of CD animals and origami boats made when it started raining.
We had a few Brownie events and meetings, usually with dry weather! Some of the girls enjoyed the Burton Guiding Jubilee Tea Party at the Orchard campsite at Tatenhill and a few weeks later Guiding Steps 2012 when they walked the Tatenhill footpaths from the Water Park to the Orchard and then over Battlestead Hill with different activities en route. An enjoyable evening was spent at Manor Park Sailing Club with the girls practising for the Bell Boat Regatta in October.
Back at the Scout H Q, evenings were not so good with either rain or a soggy field. However, we kept busy making crowns and chains for our Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee Jacks (Scarecrows) who wore very fetching flag dresses designed by Vanessa for Gardens Sunday and stood proudly outside the Scout H Q. Two evenings were spent designing and making collages for the Rolleston Gala which will have taken place by the time that you read this, Brownie families were invited for an indoor picnic party on the last evening. We didn’t let the weather dampen our spirits and everyone enjoyed themselves. Some girls took their hostess badge and the newest Brownies made their promise.
After such a busy term we must say a big thank you to all the Brownie parents, relatives and friends who have helped the girls to achieve so much and to have fun. Thank you also for collecting Sainsbury’s and Tesco vouchers. We have sent off for more activity equipment and donated our spare Tesco vouchers to Mary’s Meals.
With a full Brownie Unit we had two Promise Ceremonies in the spring term. Several girls made pretty table decorations and tasty sandwiches and cakes for parents and gained their Hostess Badges.
During half term Brownies took part in two events. Burton Guiding organised a day of music, singing, dancing and craft activities. Two Brownie teams took part in the Pancake Races on the Croft. They could not beat the much older John of Rolleston team but they tried very hard, did their best and enjoyed the afternoon. Well done and thanks to everyone who took part and parents for bringing them. After half term there were serious discussions about the Carnival and the Well Dressing design and on February 29th a very rare meeting took place. I can’t remember the last time that Leap Day occurred on a Brownie Day. We celebrated with Leap(frog) activities. The girls played Leaping Frogs, Build a Frog and Pass the Slippery Frog and completed and coloured a dot to dot frog. The last activity, making an Origami jumping frog, had to wait two weeks until we invited Mums to the meeting before Mother’s Day. The previous week the Brownies made Mother’s Day cards and wrote invites to the ‘Bring Your Mum’ meeting.
The spring term ended on a dry, sunny warm evening, just perfect for hunting for pink Bunnies who were hidden around the HQ field. They were hiding in trees, hedges, under rocks and on fences but the Brownies found all nineteen. Squash and chocolates to take home completed the evening.
So as one term ended we looked forward to another packed with fun activities for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and by the time you read this, the Jubilee weekend will be almost here. Starting with an Olympic Games themed Carnival and followed by the Guiding Jubilee Tea Party and annual plant sale at Tatenhill, May will end with a week of Well Dressing before the Jubilee weekend. The Brownies will have decorated their Banner, dressed their boat overall for Rolleston’s River Pageant, practiced dancing for the picnic concert and hopefully made decorations. There will be lots going on, parades, games, entertainment and exhibitions; take a look at Guiding Bygones in the Chapel.
After half term there will be no time for a rest. Guiding Steps 2012 footpaths walk takes place at Branston Water Park and the Orchard Campsite at Tatenhill. We have to dress our scarecrows for Gardens Sunday and we must have an evening Bell Boating at Kings Bromley Sailing Club. Please keep your fingers crossed for good summer weather.
Time flies when you’re having fun and at the moment time is rushing by at Brownies. It doesn’t seem very long since we were decorating the Advent Christmas Tree and welcoming Santa, having Christmas presents, games and a party in December although we were sad to say goodbye to many of the oldest Brownies, a few of whom have joined Scouts.
Only a few weeks ago the new Brownies joined us and we have just had the first of two Promise Ceremonies. Three older girls made tasty sandwiches and cakes for the new Brownies’ families and pretty table decorations as part of their Hostess Badge. There will be another Promise Ceremony after half term for the rest of the new girls. We started the new term with lots of welcoming, fun joining in games and making pompom animals. However, there are so many exciting activities and events to look forward to this year that the Brownie calendar is already getting very full.
At half term we hope that we will be entering teams in the village Civic Trust Pancake Races. We will be practising hard during the previous meeting and perhaps having pancakes at the end. I know that the girls will always try their best and have fun. And the pancakes afterwards are always scrumptious! After half term we shall have a meeting we can only hold every four years – leap(frog) year activities and this year it is actually on 29th February. Before Mothers’ Day we’ll be having another ‘Bring Your Mums Along’ meeting (sorry Dads, we must find time for you) and the run up to Easter we’ll be having games, crafts and food. Some Brownies will be going to the Burton Division One World One Beat music event at the Town Hall in March.
Sometime during all these activities we have to find time to design the Jubilee Well Dressing and think about Carnival costumes. We hope there will be enough girls to take part in the Jubilation Picnic Concert on the Croft, ‘Dancing Through Sixty Years’ which will be similar to the ‘Dancing Through Ninety Years’ we performed to celebrate ninety years of Guiding in Burton.
Then just two weeks break before the summer term and the Carnival, the Guiding Jubilee picnic at the Orchard campsite, Rolleston Jubilation (with well dressing, boats on the Alderbrook and the picnic concert as well as lots of other activities), Guiding Steps 2012 and Gardens’ Sunday Jubilee Scarecrows.
Let’s hope for a good summer to enjoy some outdoor activities and to introduce the new Brownies to Bell Boating at Kings Bromley. The Jubilee will be very special, a once in a lifetime celebration for everyone to enjoy. We’ll be talking about the Brownies’ participation lots over the next few weeks and there is a special Guiding Badge for everyone who is a member of Guiding this year.
Last updated: 26 December 2012