How to contact local Rainbows?

[Allegrogirl]

Assuming I don't have time to tour every local church hall noticeboard how do I find out about Rainbows groups? I posted on the Girl Guide Assoc. website which was supposed to contact my local guides and got no response. I was even offering to help out!

DD isn't 5 until October but I have heard (mainly on MN) that there can be waiting lists. We lived in smaller places and I had already started school by the time I got into Brownies so it was easy to find out about.

Have a google and find your local Guiding shop - they may have a list, but should certainly have the commissioners details for your area.

Try the website again - it may have been an IT issue?

Where we live, the village has a council website, which had a what's on in the village guide, which had a list of clubs and numbers, so maybe see if yours has a website or the nearest town has one as I am sure they could forward or help with a number for you! I tried the girl guide site first but did not find it very useful. My DD has been going for a year now but was on the list from 4.5 as huge waiting list, she is only just 6 and is already on the list for brownies as they have a Hugh list too! Hope this helps:)

Have you tried local papers, googling? Ours are all listed in the local guides.

You do need to hurry - my boys were on the waiting list for 18 months for scouts and just got in on time for when they turned 5. I left it too late with my older two and neither got places.

I've found the website enquiry forms, the details get fw on to leaders who may or may not reply depending on how often they pick up their emails, it really is best to find a phone number.

I seem to remember filling one of these in years ago: www.girlguiding.org.uk/parents__care/register_your_daughter.aspx and I either got sent details of the local group or got sent an email.

or you could try posting what County you live in, and there will no doubt be another MN who is either a Guider or a Parent of a Rainbow, who will point you in the right direction.
the best information though comes from other parents - school playground chat
you could look for fliers in the local library

I'm a Brownie leader - you're welcome to PM me - but it should all be doable via the Girlguiding UK website. I'm sorry that your earlier attempt got nowhere. We need all the volunteers we can get!

Put her name on the Brownies list at the same time as I don't think its always a natural progression for Rainbows to be automatically accepted at the local Brownies.

If you can spot what Hall the Rainbows emerge from,go along and ask a leader or look at the noticeboard and at least the caretaker/warden should be able to put you in the right direction.

Your local guiding district should have a website where all the unit details are listed. It should give you a local email contact and/or phone number.

Google your town or county name + guides and you should be able to navigate there.

Do you know anyone who is already in Rainbows (or Brownies/Guides)? If so, they should be able to give you a name.

Some units are paranoid about safeguarding so it can all be a bit cloak and dagger.

Thanks for all your replies. I had tried local papers, local parents' website, checking notice boards at a couple of church hall toddler groups. I don't know anyone involved with Rainbows or Brownies as my DD hasn't started school yet.

The local county Guide website didn't have any contact details but did have an option to contact by e-mail. I have already had a response to pop along to a church hall up the road to chat on the next Rainbows night. Unfortunately it's a day I work so I won't be able to help out, unless they can point me in the direction of a different unit. DH is hoping to do one short day to pick up DD when she starts school so all sorted. Luckily I'm on AL next week so can go along and introduce myself.

Thanks for the advice. We live in a friendly enough city centre but I don't really know much about what is going on locally. Hoping that changes when DD1 starts school.