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

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Thought it might be nice to have a place to swap ideas and experiences. Shall we do introductions first?

My name's MadBad and I've been a Brownie guider for about 5 years.

Sainsbury's active kids vouchers are being done again. Sign up and ask parents friends etc to hand in the vouchers.

We struggle a bit with SAK because, as it's designed primarily for schools, you need so many thousands of vouchers for anything of any size. There are only so many wooden spoons and trowels the unit needs!

I got quite a few last year and got a parachute and other things. Accidentally ordered 2 sets of scales. But as a unit who only had paper when I took over, I'm trying to get things which we could do with. My friend got a camera last year for her unit.

We got a parachute a few years ago and last year got a super-duper first aid kit. I'd really like to get one of the coaching evenings, but we never get remotely near the total required.

Came out of brownies to snow. Could have cried. Car was covered.

Eek. It's got a lot colder here and we've been promised snow for tomorrow.

Great world centres evening but a bit peeved that the venues for my PH all booked up, but also that my timings are affected by having to play politics with local close unit.

Grr?rrrrrrr?rr. Will convert to a sleepover instead.

Ooh, what did you do on your world centres evening?

::looking to steal ideas::

Love the idea of a world Centres evening too.

What's the politics about?

World centres sounds more exotic than it was tbh.

We split into two weeks so covered two in each. Problem is that we have almost every allergy going (and some. I have discovered) so could not easily go to the fun option of tasting or making food.

We did a quiz for Pax; smelling spices, mini quiz.and dressing up in saris for Sangam (with take home sheets to decorate rangolis). World centres fruit.salad and digeridoo for fun.

Quizzes for Chalet and Cabana, trying on outfits (sombreros etc), musical instruments, Eodelweiss (not strictly Swiss), world centres fruit salad.

That sounds pretty good to me. Where did you find the quizzes etc? Were they in the magazine?

That's sounds excellent to me.

Oh help! My asst leader is leaving us sooner than she said she was. By quite a big jump. I'm terrified as this last year has been particularly hard in terms of having enough volunteers to help out at meetings.

Although in a way it's a good thing as I've probably relied on her far too much as she's been with the unit a long time. It's almost she's been leader and I've gone along with things as I'm LIT still.

Tell me I can do this and I can find my own great team of volunteers to help!

I have a quick question - it was specifically my girls' Rainbows unit I wanted to volunteer for to save them having to close next year, would it be worth a mention to their current leader as the form on the website didn't ask for specific groups.

Oh, and thank you for the 'Centres' discussion - dd1 has been baffling me about it since Tuesday & my head was a bit

Yeah. Mention it to the leader. They'll grab you with both hands and not let go lol (it's how I ended up where I am).

Thanks Mini, I'll have a word when I drop them off next week

Definitely mention it so she can mention further up the chain so they know if it comes through x

I've been roped into helping on a Brownie holiday over half term - what stuff am I likely to need? Uniform/clothes/sleeping bag/footwear etc wise?

I'll ask the main leader, but she's on holiday till the parents meeting later this week and I'd like an idea beforehand in case I need to order stuff in.

TIA :)

Are you going as a parent helper? If so, you don't need uniform (although there is some you can get if you want to) and will just need warm, washable clothing. I always go for warmth and comfort over elegance on pack holidays (and no doubt it shows). I think most of the places used for pack holidays usually expect you to take your own bedding, unless it's somewhere like PGL. If we're sleeping in proper beds I prefer to take a sheet and sleeping bag, rather than be trussed up in my sleeping bag.

Rue, it will depend on where you are going. Our brownie house has bunk beds for the girls so it's usually a duvet or sleeping bag. Uniform for arrival and leaving and normal clothes in between.

Maudant cribbed the questions from the centres' pages and also from the wagggs WTD challenges (but picked and chose).

lucysmam you're one of us now stock up on ribena, say farewell to your dining room table and any storage space you may have. At long last, any hoarding recycling tendencies can be justified.

RueDeWakening (great username) Have you got a kit list yet? Ask the leaders if the unit or others in the district have any spares / stuff they'd be prepared to lend you. One tip - it's harder to warm up than.to cool down, especially at night. Take lots of warm clothing and spare socks - plan a low key couple of days afterwards as you will be shattered.

Oops. That didn't make sense. I prefer to take a sheet and duvet ...

Sorry, should have said - am usually a Rainbow leader (so have polos & hoodie) but I'm helping out with the Brownie unit that meets immediately after my Rainbows. Venue is our county campsite, and will be sleeping in huts.

Brownie DD will get a kit list but there isn't one for adults afaik.

Oh and at a quiet few days after, I'm taking my Rainbows on a trip the day after we get back!