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

That looks good. I forget how many our mess is 'supposed' to sleep, although we don't actually sleep anyone in there (well we did in may when the wind put paid to one of our other tents but it isn't our intention)!

We're a friendly bunch and we'll talk to anyone about tents at camp

Ours most recently seated 16 girls on the floor to eat in a horshoe, with 5 leaders on stools more than comfortably, you'd easily get more in if you needed to ifyswim! (And we had activity equipment stored at the back etc..)

I'll be discreet, Picturepuncture .

I would like to seek you out though, to look at your tent. How many people can sit in it if it is needed as a wet weather shelter. We don't need masses of space - I'm happy to do without chairs, just Guides sitting on the floor with food/a craft on their laps. I think I'm going to have to bring a long tape measure and a notepad with me!

At the moment I am considering a Gelert Meridian 10, with a side porch for wet weather entrance. It is big - 7mx4m - so should have the space we need I think, and is half the price and a fraction of the weight of a traditional canvas mess tent.

Hi Jenny, I'll also be at Anglia 13

We use an old push up gazebo with no sides to cook under- cheaper than a fire shelter!
Something like this should do it:

www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/6511524.htm

We also have a mess tent, but I forget its proper name because we always call it something else ... But it's a bit like this:

www.gooutdoors.co.uk/outwell-georgia-5p-family-tent-p261538

(Expensive though!)

Ps- if this outs me at camp, do me a favour and don't say you saw me on MN!!

Yes, I had a look there today. It all seems to be the heavy type. I was hoping that I may be able to find someone who perhaps dual purposes their own family tent, or something, who could tell me how they get on. We've decided to borrow another unit's mess tent for this summer. We're going to Anglia '13, so I plan to be really nosy there and see what everyone else is using

I know nothing about mess tents. I guess you've looked at the small ads in Guiding magazine?

Blacks, not Blackwells! Having thought about it, I could cook on gas in my canvas QM tent at a push - that is a huge ridge tent. We could invest in a dining/cook shelter, but £300 for something I'll only use in extremis seems expensive

Can I ask about tents? We're looking for a mess tent capable of seating about 24 people at a push for a meal/craft in the rain. Are there any lightweight options out there? I have been looking at the Easycamp Boston 600 - we could cook on gas in the canopy area if torrential rain means I can't be outside, and have the Guides use the side entrance to the main area to keep them out of the way. Without putting the inner tent up (we wouldn't need the bedrooms) would that space be big enough?

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I've looked at the Blackwells Bungalow/mess tents, but they seem so heavy by comparison.

That's pretty much how I feel, Groovee. We talked about it at this week's meeting, as we have several about to make their Promise so we looked at the difference between old and new versions.

I'm non plused about the promise but am happy it's more inclusive to girls we may not have had at brownies.

I'm not sure how many 7 year olds would understand the phrase "be true to myself and to my beliefs", or even have much scope for that at that age.

"Mum - it's against my beliefs to eat cabbage, I wouldn't be being true to myself"
"Shut up and eat your greens!"
(Am a Snowy Owl)

Yes, not taking credit cards is probably a disadvantage in this context.

But what do you think of the revamped Promise, Startail? (I'm asking here because the starter of the other thread didn't seem keen to hear from Guiders).

No, I'm an ex Brown Owl and I still forget to pay Scouts, gym, music teacher, school trips etc.

I simply don't carry a cheque book any more, everything goes on credit cards.

Also with older DDs you tend to drop and run, you really need the guider to grab you at the end of the meeting.

So what do we as Leaders think of the new Promise then?

I send a bill out at the end of term, with a named envelope to return the payment in. Subs must be received in the first three weeks of term or a late payment charge of £5 is added. Since we introduced this system we only ever have a couple of parents who "forget" to pay on time, and very rare for them to pay late the following term. I also have my unit helper sitting by the door to take payment so parents find it harder to sneak in and out!!

I do have a couple of parents across my two units who can't afford to pay in one go, so pay weekly (and obviously don't get the late payment charge added).

I chase up by email, text or face to face, but I've still got one who hasn't paid this term at all. Perhaps I need to learn not to mind, although that feels wrong.

Maid - how do you chase up?
We use Facebook, texts and email, so it's not too much bother. There are always some parents who don't pay til almost the end of term though, but we don't really mind.

Argh! Can anyone suggest anything that actually works for getting parents to pay subs promptly? Mine were due on the first night of term in September - because I wanted to cut down the amount of chasing entailed when payment is due over several weeks - yet I've still got a substantial minority who haven't paid. Gah.

Hi everyone. I'm Snowy Owl in a large and thriving Brownie pack (30+ girls).
I'm doing my Brownie holiday badge in a couple of weeks - anyone got any tips?

Good for you, for offering what you can manage.

Well I offered up accounting paperwork help. They were grateful and said they would pass it on.
Work not flexible, I'm part time and simply too busy to leave early plus I have an hour commute. Typical that Rainbows is on a work day.

I absolutely will be volunteering. I don't see the purpose of being a leader only to my children at the age/group they are in. And my DH works unsociable hours so I have to be home for bedtime.

I haven't decided whether my affiliation is to guides or ventures, both of which played a huge part of my life growing up.
But I will give my time. It's been a long time vow for me!

I don't mean to sound harsh, but whenever this happens (and it seems to happen quite often, as leaders can't always stay involved for ever) many parents say that they will help, at some unspecified point in the future, but there's always some obstacle to helping here and now. Promises of future help are great but they don't solve the problem now. How flexible is your work? Is there any chance that you could get away early (say) one week in four so that you could join a helpers' rota? And it's ok to take your son with you, as long as the adult:child ratios set down by Girlguiding UK are observed. My friend's son was an honorary Brownie from the age of six months!

Our pack has been lucky in recent years, in that we have had a trickle of new adult volunteers via the Girlguiding UK website. Do you have a local membership/volunteers coordinator (often a member of the Trefoil Guild)? If so, make sure - or get the outgoing leaders to make sure - that they know you're looking for people. Otherwise, as ChiefOwl says, it's usually a case of all hands on deck and parents getting involved so that the unit doesn't close.

Ah maybe if someone else takes over though you could offer to do the accounts or something. There's a lot of paperwork that needs doing.

Or you could go and make the drinks / clear up at the end. Trust me any help will be appreciated! And you can take your ds with you...I have had to take mine many times.

I would like to, but I get home from work after they start. My childminder drops DD there. Andi have a younger DS with no one to babysit.
I'm planning on becoming a leader when my kids are old enough to put their dinner in the microwave.

Shattered dreams... its normally parents that step in and take over the unit. Nearly all leaders I know (including myself) started out this way.... Is this something you would consider?

My DD rainbow leaders just announced they are finishing.
SE London, what do you think the chances are of finding new leaders??
I'm devastated, she just started.