can you tell me all about Brownies please

DD just lurves brownies - I love the badges and wish she'd take more interest in those, but I guess the novelty of belonging (only joined at the beginning of term) not yet worn off. Much more grown up for her than Beavers (no space at convenient Rainbows so she went with her boyfriend) - she has a great time every week. Well worth the money, which isn't much anyway.

Totally agree madbad. I think our Brown Owl lovely as she is, is too soft on the non-payers. They know they can get away with it. It does affect those of us who do pay as we effectively pay for her child!

I get very cross that we then miss out on treats and trips because some refuse to pay. I do think Brown Owl needs to be firmer. Maybe hand out red slips to those still owing. I know she would come to an arrangement to pay weekly if people were having trouble.

One non-payer does the drop off outside, pick up down the road too!!!

Newpup - I really struggle with late payers too. I say that subs should be paid in the first four weeks of term and (copying the idea from my daughter's dance class) that subs will go up £5 if paid after that. This works up to a point, although the late payers tend to turn up only with the basic subs and not the extra 'penalty' so I then have to decide whether to insist on the extra £5.

I wouldn't accept persistent non-payment. If subs weren't paid by the end of term, I would take the Brownie's name off the register. It's only happened to me once. If the mum had told me that she was in difficulties I would have been happy to negotiate some kind of deal (even given her a big discount on the subs) but she ignored all my messages and phone calls and avoided me completely by dropping her daughter off and collecting her from the end of the road (we don't allow that either) so that she never came into the hall. I know it's awkward to tell someone that you can't afford Brownie subs, but I don't see any alternative. Non-payment just isn't an option, especially as it means that those whwo do pay (who may also be struggling) are subsidising those who don't.

Our fees are £20 a term and £16 insurance once a year. I consider this to be excellent value for all the activities they do. We pay extra for camp and trips but they are not compulsary.

The problem we have is that a small group of parents do not pay! Subs are due the first week of the term and a couple of weeks later Brown Owl sends a note to remind us that a few subs have not been paid! Then at the end of term we usually get another note pleading those who have not paid to pay, they don't!! I presume that as they have been able to get away with it, they do this every term. I am sure Brown Owl could be a bit firmer about it. Last year we had to forgo a trip as there were not enough subs to cover it! It made me very cross, I would not dream of not paying for my two and I am sure that Brown owl would let someone having trouble pay each week.

There will always be a cheeky few I suppose!

Sorry Brown Owl, I am gathering subs info at the moment as we are having a unit leader 'discussion' soon.

I will be Brown Owl soon.... there can be only one!!! must see if I can get a big sword from the funds . Cue cheesy theme music...

But packs vary. We have two in our town. One is huge fun with a wonderful Brown Owl - they learn loads and come out high as kites and full of what they've done and what they're going to do. The other is very dull and - dare I say it? - churchy. So do ask round first. And depending on your dd, she may prefer Cubs. Try them all before you decide!

Ooops. That could have been clearer. £20 a term. With £5 extra for paying late.

What £20 for the year???

We charge £20 subs and a £10 enrolment fee which goes some way towards paying for the Promise box, books and badges they receive when they make their Promise. We suggest that Brownies have one uniform top and trousers and the sash. When old Brownies donate used uniform, we sell it for £1 an item for pack funds. On Ebay it often seems to cost almost the new price, even when it's obviously tatty!

It's very thoughtful to provide sashes with badges already sewn on - I'll have to think about that one!

If it is a basic pack holiday with own cooking a few crafts, team games and a waggle of a parachute then it will be closer to £30 -40 pounds plus transport depending on the venue. But any holiday with actvities that require a specialist instructor or equipment it will cost more.

oh my goodness... we definately undercharge!!!

It is Friday to Sunday but at an activity centre about an hour away with everything laid on. ds has been on similar with school and it was a lot more.

Our pack holiday is £120!! But they are going for 3 days and staying in a wonderful manor house owned by the guiding association. They will swim, rock climb, horse ride etc and there is a chef on site, the rooms are ensuite as well!!

I have 2 Dds so it is expensive but they will have a ball .

The camp last year cost £50 for 2 nights but was not as exciting or glamourous!

£80 for pack holiday??

how long are you away for ...???

That seems like a lot of money. The most we have charged is £30 but thats just friday to sunday

Ours is £2 per week subs or you pay per half term, no upfront fee iirc. Uniform only required by the time of enrolment - Tshirt , hoodie and leggings came to about £35 new, it is often on ebay but you have to be quick or prepared to pay high prices. Long weekend pack holiday is £80 this summer(at a pgl centre). dd was enrolled in February and has already done a badge and lots of crafts included in subs.

skramble Brown Owl was DS2's teacher last year as well and she is so funny and brill.

She knows a lot of rather cheeky songs too

Ooh glad some one loves their Brown Owl!!!

You don't have to buy the trousers and all that. Usually the minimum is the t-shirt or long sleeved top, and perhaps the gilet or sash to put badges on but this is optional. We do expect at least the t-sirt so they are in uniform and are identifiable as Brownies.

As other have said subs vary greatly and some charge seperatly for the yearly 'census' others include this in subs, some charge a joining fee to cover the books and boxes they get as we can get girls joining getting all the stuff then leaving a month later when they decide it is not for them.

Holidays can cost from £25 for a local one, further away req buses etc will cost more. Out trip this year is costing £5.50, as we are doing our own transport.

The guiding association do state that they will not prevent a girl from taking part due to finacial contraints, so if money is a problem do talk to the guider in charge, often they will keep secong hand uniform etc.

The programme of activities can also vary a lot from pack to pack, depends on the skills of the leaders, some do loads of gmaes, or crafts, others do interest badges as a pack. I like to have a very varied programme and one week we might be doing a jelly babies them night the next working on our brownie traditions badge.

They should ba happy for your DD to go along for a couple of weeks to try it out and see if it is for her, don't buy any uniform straight away, until you are sure.

My DD has just joined this term.

We paid £15 enrolement fee and £15 fr this term (5 days).

DD has done 3 weeks now and is really enjoying it. She has been working on a snakes and ladders game all about the environment and came home with a participation certificate this week. She also says they play games and sing songs.

DD didn't get it really; went a few times but thought it was a load of nonsense. And the uniform is a vile ugly colour

We love it. I think it's very good value (compared to many other clubs!)

Ours is £2/week for an hour and a half; the only bit of uniform you are obliged to have at our pack is the sash, but most of the girls have trousers/t-shirt etc as well.

Try for hand-ons - it doesn't get very worn and it's not cheap (nicer than years ago tho).

Frannikin buying back uniform from leavers is a good idea.

I luuuuurrrrve our Brown Owl!

anniebear - Brownies is fabulous, the girls love it, they do loads of activities, trips, badges, fitness stuff, crafts and it's the place where friendships are made.

Different packs have different arrangements. A lot depends on whether the subs include the annual census fee (the money that goes to run the larger organisation) - some spread it out over the year, others charge separately for it in February (ish).

Another thing that affects the cost is whether they have to pay for their hall or not.

Expect around £100 a year, plus the cost of uniform, outings and overnighters.

As for uniform, you need:

trousers (leggings or cargo pants)
cycling shorts or skort
tee-shirt
fleece
sash or gilet (depending on the pack).

At my DD's, you don't pay a joining fee, but annual subs is £22 or so, and they take £1 a week.

If they go camping or on a special outing, you pay for it - camping's usually about £20 for a weekend. They don't have to do the camps though, if they don't want to!

Subs vary from pack to pack, some charge weekly, others termly. There are likely to a few extras for trips - these tend not to be compulsory in case you can't afford it but if you child really does want to go most Guiders will be sympathetic and work out a payment plan. In some areas it can be subsidised. The most expensive things will either be County events (can be up to £20/girl!) or camp.

Some packs insist on a certain item/amount of uniform - we used to say either the long-sleeved t-shirt or the short-sleeved. Gilets were discouraged, we found the hoodies more practical. Then they could choose from the trousers or the skort. The cycle shorts were rubbish quality and the leggings didn't wash well! We supplied a sash when they were enrolled (rather than pinning on the badge, we slipped the sash on, saved me many a bloody finger) with the pack name tag, promise badge, six and county badge stitched on already. Other packs let you buy as much as you want but we were in quite a mixed income area, some could only afford the t-shirt whereas others could have easily had the full wardrobe (and a couple of girls from the next pack over did have something for every season). We found limiting the amount of uniform to a complete summer and a complete winter outfit reduced rivalry among the girls.

We would also buy back uniform which was no longer needed either to growth spurts or leaving the unit.