Guiders Staff Room Part 2

Thank you ladies, I'm on it now!

I'm the main contact and have set up an email for the unit so everything stays in there.

Accounting year runs to the school year but will add to my list of things to double check.

I don't think there is anything stored elsewhere but will make enquiries about that as well.

Groovee, I've just increased subs to £2 per week but scrapped the £5 joining fee because it was just going on the little red bags & nothing into the unit funds. I was going to have a think on it & re-introduce at some point but paying out for the bags and not actually having anything for unit funds seemed pointless.

Not sure where I'd start applying for grants - any suggestions as a starting point?

I really appreciate your help ladies, I'd be like a fish out of water without it I think!

What fun! You need to get the DC involved now.

Details DC should hold and you and the remaining team should know whatever happens are:

Your unit accounting year end
Bank account details inc branch, bank and signatories.
Where to get hold of signatories inc membership numbers, addresses, emails and tel
Details of your hall / meeting place agreement inc rent understanding, point of contact and contact details for them
Info re any unit resources that may be stored with her or somewhere else (tales of unit tents and minibuses going astray!!)

If you don't have one already set up a generic unit email address where any unit comms goes out from now on. This gives a good transition in comms and audit trail of comms. If you have one do you have the log on details (would suggest changing the password once lic leaves)

Have a meeting over easter to agree hoe the transition will work and also whether notice needs to be given about raising subs the following term.

Oh dear... Good Luck lucysmam...

Agree, start the process now. It's taken me two months, 4 visits in branch on my days off and three phone calls. Often the staff in branch don't really know what they're doing which doesn't help!

Think in your shoes I'd be suggesting taking over the accounts in April, at the beginning of the tax year. I'd also be talking to my DC about the situation.

I'll start pushing more for her to committ to a date in that case - she announced this evening that she's busy every Saturday between now & retiring & she works full time so I can see it being hard work

I think you probably need to be pushing to go on the account now for two reasons:

1. all units should have three signatories
2. last time I tried to get my name put on it took forever! Start now and it might be done for when you need it...

Hello ladies , hope everyone's doing well?

I have a quick question - our outgoing LiC leaves in May, I found out today that there is nothing in the bank after paying subs (and have a horrid feeling she's topped that up from her own pocket) and she's dithering about putting me on the account...do I start fretting now & speak to our DC or do I wait and see if she'll commit to a date to put me on the account before worrying too much since I can't actually see what's been going in/out? I'm struggling to see where the money's been going - I've been using up stuff from the cupboard since Sept so hardly spent much & we pay rent in time for church events should they need our help.

Candles were fun. Forgot to take pics. But used the kits from Baker Ross. Bit on the £ side, but decided to as there was no way they'd do them at home.

Each pack has 6 blocks of wax, different colours. I used one pack per six. The wax is hard to begin with, but softens like plasticine. We left the girls to use their imagination, and had all sorts of creations. They suggest using a cocktail stick to get the wick in. That wasn't entirely successful, but we worked on the logic that parents weren't likely to burn the finished objects

First ever promise ceremony over. It went so much better than expected!

Ooh

Please could you tell me more about the candles...

Ooh

Please could you tell me more about the candles.

Ooh

Please could you tell me more about the candles...

Written my census cheque- biggest cheque I've written for a long time! We're doing our first ever promise ceremony this week- Eek!

Mouldable candles went down well, but a nightmare to clean off the tables. Ended up running a balloon promise activity with our YL while the other leader tackled the table with hot water and a cloth. Amazed at some of the candles made.

Had a new starter last week, at the end of the meeting she announced she wants to come to brownies every day! Bless her.

Hello all. Brownie & Ranger leader here. Mad woman, I too have been stalking the Syria photos on Wagggs. And yes, found them fascinating. Showed them to my Rangers, especially the ones of the older girls and I think it really moved them (and me) as those pictures could have been of them, but these girls live in a war torn country.

Oh becles what a pain. I have blooming adults doing the same thing and want desperately to screech 'well it's obvious YOU aren't responsible for the budget, huh?! Couldn't you have done that LAST month?'

Make sure it's 'heavy' enough - if it's a really lightweight rope it will be difficult to get it to swing properly and sometimes they retain kinks - a bit of weight allows a nice swing and any kinks fall out. Some of those harder fibre nylon ones are a bit crapola... Find a friend and take it outside and give it a swing and see - you'll be able to tell if it will do the job ;-)

The best ones are those woven around a core.

Ok dim question alert.

For leap day on monday we are doing the leap challenge.

My unit dont currently have a long skipping rope. Is there a specific type we need, or will a nylon rope i have do the ob?

Happy Thinking Day week (but late)

3 Brownies announced that this was their last week as too busy with life. They were going to quit during half term but this week sounded too much fun. Oh, dear after census locked down and contributing to my £775 bill.

But they'll come back for Guides which they expect to start on x Date even though no word with me, join us or guide leaders. Fingers itched so badly

Was annoyed with our district thinking day event. Was given no information on the plan, turned up and 3 of the 5 activities are food based.

Have one girl with severe allergies. Who couldn't do any of them

Surprised anyone would plan that much food stuff without knowing the girls or checking with the guiders.

Even would have appreciated a heads up so I could provide an alternative

Shattered after the district Thinking Day event. Started with 19 due to come, ended up with 14 attendees. Was fantastic fun.

We've only got 4 meetings left this term due to a clash with an event at the school. Trying out mouldable candles Tuesday

The parents meeting sounds... interesting! Good luck!

I can pay my camp bill. You have no idea how relieved I am.
Oh, and quelle surprise, the parents of the twins that didn't bother to take part in our main fundraiser, leaving us $1200 short, can't make it to the parent meeting. I'm sure that can't be because every other parent wants them hung, right?
Thinking Day on Monday
Anyone looked at the WAGGGS fb page? Am I the only one fascinated by the Syrian Thinking Day pics? I have spent a fascinating hour fb stalking Syrian guiders with the translate button. Am well aware that's creepy, but it has given me a wildly different picture to the footage on the TV. I was pondering messaging one, as I can't help but feel this would be an amazing opportunity for my older girls, but I suspect every guider on the www will be doing just that.

And our parent meeting is set for 29th. I'm pretty sure I can raise the immediate money and use the balances to pay the bill by the due date, but I look forward to finding out on 29th how the parents think they might deign to raise the rest of the money...