Guiders' staff room - tea, wine, chat and optional dancing around the toadstool

Well, you learn something every day!

What is it you need to negotiate about Positive? Are you able to share (nosy)

I believe some units such as jewish units are affiliated to a closed sponsored unit where only members of that synagogue can join and run by guiders who are part of the synagogue.

My brownies are run in a church hall! My old brownies were in the Salvation Army who often ran children's meetings. At Christmas we attended the toy service where we each took a gift for a child who wouldn't get anything. Then we'd do a wee drama sketch or a song, like all the other groups. We sometimes attended on Rememberance Sunday. But it wasn't compulsory.

My current church, the minister likes to pop in. We always guarantee he turns up when we are baking. But he's friendly and likes to keep up to date with our programme etc.

We pay a donation to the church at the end of the year towards heat and light. But they've never asked us to attend church as the minister's wife was a guider and says that Church Parade etc cannot be forced. It would be nice to go to their toy service though.

Thank you very much for your responses.

We are affiliated to a church, just because we always have been. You can expect to get cheap rent, in return for which you will be expected to go on the odd church parade and help out at the Christmas Fair.

We pay £5 a week rent. We couldn't afford to not be affiliated.

The girlguiding website is far too interested in being inclusive to ever mention that many, many units up and down the country rely on churches for their accommodation.

ARE units affiliated to a church? Don't some just meet in church halls in the way that the WI, Slimming World etc do?

I'm a Brownie Leader, but don't know of any units that are "affiliated" to churches. Though we do participate in things like Remembrance Day services, along with all the other uniformed groups in the town.

Can I possibly gatecrash this thread and ask you all a question?

Can anyone explain what you, as brownie/guide leaders see as the benefits of being affiliated to a church? Is it a 2 way "relationship" between you and the church and what does your church do to help you out? And what does the church expect from you?
Also, if you are affiliated do you pay for the church hall use?

I have searched the girl guiding website and have had no luck with finding out much.

I have read the thread from a few months ago about this issue, but wanted to hear from the leaders point of view, rather than the mums point of view.

Thanks very much for any responses. I am not wanting to provoke any arguments, I am simply asking as I am needing to negotiate with someone about this and want to know what is the norm and what I can expect.

We're panto-ing too for our last night of term.

And we've only gone and booked for Singalonga Frozen in the New Year!!
How cool are we?? Haven't told the Brownies yet. They have to dress up and everything!!

Just booked the panto for our christmas outing. Us leaders are so excited!

It's worth checking with the main schools your Brownies go to once a term to find out what their plans are for activities that might mean girls can't attend unit meetings. Or ask the parents.

Our first meeting was last night. Only about half the group was there because one of the local school's year sixes were off on a school trip.
They were great though. Making knots and teaching the new ones.

It's a learning curve. xx

Argh that was a nightmare, bit off way more than I can chew.

Memo to self - next time introduce big changes one week, then have new girl start the week after. Don't do it all at once!

Good thinking Middleaged

Wish me luck for tonight everyone, its going to be a stressful one!

p.s. look out tonight for aibu to think tawny owl shouldnt have moved my pfb out of a six with all her friends, and really she isnt an imp more of a fairy

I bet if you get in touch with the local Trefoil Guild, someone there would remember the tunes.

I have no idea. Sorry x

Oooh thank you.

What tune do the six songs use?

Songs for each six

Bwbachod (fawn)- We're the Bwbachod from Wales, Filling farmers' milking pails
Elf (blue)- This is what we do as Elves, Think of others, not ourselves
Fairy (yellow)- We're the Fairies glad and gay, helping others every day
Ghillie Dhu (green with red hat)- Ghillie Dhu it is our name, We guard the bairns and lead them hame
Gnome (white with black broom)- Here you see the laughing Gnomes, 'Helping mother' in our homes
Imp (yellow)- We're the ever-helpful Imps, Quick and quiet as any shrimps
Kelpie (red with yellow hat)- We're the little Scottish Kelpies, Smart and quick and ready helpers
Leprechaun (red)- We're the Irish Leprechaun, Guiding strangers when forlorn
Little People (yellow/green diagonal stripes)- We, though known as Little People, Aim as high as any steeple
Pixie (green)- Look out, we're the jolly Pixies, Helping people when in fixes
Sprite (green)- Here we come, the sprightly Sprites, Brave and helpful like the knights
Tylwyth Teg (red with white hat) - We're from Wales, the Tylwyth Teg, Dance and work and never beg

When we had new sixes (woodland creatures) we did a version of Captain's Coming with different actions for the different animals. Could you do something like that?

Gnomes sit and fish
Leprechauns jump up and down (?!)
Aaand run out of ideas for the rest ;)

We also got them to make a poster with all their names and the name of their six on.

Help me please ladies!!

We are moving to 5 sixes next week to keep up with my waiting list.

I have 9 new girls starting, all of my sixers are new to being sixers, oh and we have moved to the old fairy names from woodland creatures.

To top it all off I am the unit guider who can be there, though some mums are coming to keep the ratio up.

I have a couple of activities, but really want something to cement them into their new sixes, and ideally something to help them understand what elves, imps, sprites, leprechauns and gnomes actually are.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I don't really know. The church's email reply to mine was about getting new keys for me.

Oh no Groovee, that's horrible. Will the hall insurance cover the cost of a new cupboard or lock at least?

I like it all.

But we have returned to our new term and someone broke in to our meeting place and smashed the lock in on our cupboard. Nothing appears to be missing. But so so upset.

I've just come home from Wellies and Wristbands (which was fantastic BTW). They had the new uniform on display. Reaction from the girls was mixed, with most not liking it. Ours were concerned that theydy have to buy it because they prefer the old.
The hoodie has a funny neoprene feel to it. Its quite stiff.

Even though it does look completely inpractical, I do like the look of the skirt
They could have come up with a practical skirt. Something a bit like this maybe: local guide skirt
Jean type material with pockets and it's short and loose, so very easy to move . PLus it still manages to look smart.