Guiders Staff Room Part 3

Stick of rock 😂. Love it!

Cabbage... Hold on

I'm a member of the Trefoil Guild. Our youngest member is late 20s. Oldest about 60. Some of us aren't even Guiders, Ex or otherwise.

Inflagrante yes she's going to be a real asset to the unit. One of the other Guiders I know well told me “If you cut her in half you'll find a trefoil running through her, like a stick of rock.”
Not that that's a planned activity.
She told us all that you don’t have to be a retired Guider to join the Trefoil Guild, you can join aged 18. Who knew?! Rainbows all kindly pointed out that as I “definitely look the oldest” that I'll probably be wanting to join the Trefoil first. Always a boost to the self esteem are Rainbows.

What is this cabbage-as-indicator experiment please? Sounds interesting.

Scribbly your new leaders sounds ace!

I have a new unit helper. I'm going to get lynched at the district meeting given we have a rainbow and a Brownie unit under threat of closure but she only has a bike, and I'm her closest meeting by a couple of miles 😁 quite handy for when my other leaders are on nights.

Had a cricket coach in this week, several girls started off complaining, but by the end were having a great time. Nice easy meeting while I recovered from our weekend away.

As an aside, if any of you ever fancy doing the cabbage as indicator experiment--use a tea pot! The metal ones with a built in strainer are perfect. Pop the cabbage in, pour on boiling water, leave for 20 mins, then pour into shot glasses (perfect testtubes!)

I haven’t even started looking at the new programme yet. Had already decided to do the Trefoil Guild anniversary badge before half term and then the usual Bonfire night and Christmas crafts/party afterwards so I'm giving myself a full term of prep before cracking on with it in January. Just had a new lovely Guider start (transfer from another unit) and she has bought a load of the materials and put them all into a binder with rainbows coloured dividers. I love her already.

@Andtheresaw It's shit isn't it? I wouldn't mind if we could have the ability to come up with the unit meeting activities and just live with the skills builders. Feels like we are all being punished for those leaders who didn't follow the programme and just did back to back to back challenge badges. There's no scope for girls' imagination or leader interest or experience to influence the programme

You can tweak the activities down to suit someone struggling, but the levels are capped. I think it's because the programme needs to flow through the sections and if my brownies continue to do woodwork they won't get anything new out of guides. But it isn't just woodwork, its everything. we did the gold WAGGS award about raising awareness of women's health, we do camping and the girls cook on fire, we cook over candles, we polish the church and sing for the old folk and empower these girls to climb trees and jump in the river (safely and risk assessed obv) and I have read on MN about how GG is really tame compared to scouting the thought that I didn't recognise the brownies they were describing. I spent last night reading the UMAs and skills builders for Be Well. It is significantly simpler than what we would have done for AIM HI or Healthy Heart before.

I know that the trans policy hasn't been discussed here on this thread, but there was something on the radio this morning and I've had a girl pulled out of my Brownies this afternoon . Last week we had new programme training and I came home and had a little weep on realising that the programme I've been following for the last 10 years was pitched at what is now considered level 4/5: ie I'll be dumbing down everything we have ever done and all the girls who have already been with me for a couple of years will now be doing simpler versions of what we used to do. For example: last year we make bird boxes, this year we'll be hammering nails into fruit because making bird boxes is two levels higher than our level cap. Oh, and my hard return button isn't working so this won't have paragraphs. #irritatedguider

It wasn't that it was a secret! More because I didn't have a list as such, only a menu & then the email from asda with the list of what I'd bought.

Anyway, it's not too bad. Forgot jam & honey, and the red cabbage for experiments. Having a great time

Easier if the shopping list were just posted on here. It's hardly secret.

I don't have an inbox

It is possible. At the top of the page, as highlighted. I think I'm fine. Anything missing, the shop is only 2 miles away. Refusing to stress at this point!

I've got a really inexperienced team, and so an doing more than I would expect to. Plus I know they have a lot on with uni /placements, it's more reassuring just to do it myself. But I'm shattered!

Ah, sorry. I don't have a pc I can use.
Can you post the list on here?

How do I find PMs on the mobile app????

I'd also say PM me as well Inflgrante but I'm truly rubbish with catering stuff!! Hope you get it sorted, sounds like my worst nightmare....

That would be great, thank you. This is why I've always always had a QM. It's not my strength!

Pm me your order if you like. And tell me how many girls.

Tried our first skills builder yesterday. First mistake says doing it as a unit. The card said 30mins...it took nearer an hour. My lot were particularly lively last night!

Brownie holiday is stressing me out, my QM has had to travel for work this week, and I've ended up in charge of the food shopping. Anyone willing to check my order for quantities?

Thanks Beckles. I spoke to my DC today and she's going to raise it at the next district meeting.

@ScribblyGum DC is there to support you but also ensure good guiding is happening on the ground. Ask for this to be an early agenda item at the next district meeting and essential frame as: what is the district plan for the progression of this group of girls / girls from this unit.

You are part of a wider team and either a new brownie unit needs to open (trots off to the magical volunteer cupboard) or all the sections hash out a compromise.

I'm not saying it's easy but it needs to be a DC and a district problem to sort.