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.

Hello all
Just found you . As my name suggests I'm a Brownie Guider. I'm also County Pack Hol Adviser. I used to be a Rainbow Guider as well (many moons ago) but gave that up when the first of the DCs - that's children, not commissioners, arrived.

Hi there!

I guess its all gone quiet on here because we are into the week and our various unit meetings - I have the joys of a division centenary launch planning meeting - 2000 members in one space 5-6th sep. What was I thinking?! Anyone got any solutions for getting through these super massive style events?!!

after being part of the millenium committee the best advice I have is dont volunteer to help!!!

sorry we started with a small commitee to work out what we wanted and then we grew the committee depending on what we needed

eg we needed roped off areas and marshalling points so we grew the committe by a guider who was in the TA knowing that she could rope in some squaddies to build temp fencing

eg2 we needed a balloon race so we grew the committee by a guider with her own special events company

eg3 we needed to get word out there and our district division channels dont always work so we added a guider who works in pr

is this what you were looking for???

I've decided not to do our local Centenary Launch. I wonder if it's the same as yours HAN? CP, first weekend in September?

Anyway, we're not going! I decided, we have far too many other things going on in District & Division to get involved. And I've only been allocated 6 tickets, which means some of them will miss out (do Rainbows btw)

I've no idea how we're going to get through the whole year tbh. DH is going to get cross at some point. He's usually pretty laid back, about how much I do, but aside from Centenary, it's District Xmas parties, Division Carol Services, and our turn to host Thinking Day. Then there's the Rainbow spring party. No, just too much, to get involved in tbh.

Oh and we've just hit on a fab idea for our own unit launch.

One of my Rainbows had to create a super hero at school last week. She made Rainbow Girl! Wrote a bit of a story and made up a song. It was really good.

So on our last day of Summer term, we'll have a show. Exactly what we're going to do is not clear in my head yet, but we'll do tea and cakes, acting, singing, dancing or something for parents and during the next term we will add to Rainbow Girls story, then I'll get it printed as a book and the parents can buy them from us!

We'll send proceeds to our chosen Centenary Charity!

I just want to get camp overwith before I start worry ing about centenary stuff .

So what have we forgotton, I wonder.

Any camp pearls of wisdom. It is our packs first time away.

Not a clue about camp I'm afraid. I purposesly don't have a camp license, so it's not my job!

The other problem with all these things going on of course, is many of us, I assume have dd's in Guiding? My DD came home from Guides last night with 3 functions for Centenary for September and October. My poor DH will think we've both left him!

skramble do you mean camp as in under canvas or are you using a generic term meaning pack holiday

I dont camp so wont be much help if you mean camp but if you mean pack holiday then I will help anyway I can (dons p/hol advisor hat)

Hi All - meeting went really well actually - had said I would go and represent one of my Rangers who I am mentoring through her Queens Guide - as she couldnt make the first meeting, but agreed that our District reps would organise the music slots for the pm and a Guide/ SS/ adult campfire after the event.

What can we do to help with the resiential/ camp skramble? I always seem to be doing weekends away for my various roles - whats your theme? Dont do everything, thats why you have a team!

book marking you all, dd just woken from her nap so back soon! Maybe..Rainbows tonight!

Oh no not under canvas, its brownies and I think Brown Owl would pass out if I suggested a tent holiday.

No we are in dorms, the theme is easter, it is Brown Owl and her two new and shiney assistant leaders first camp with their own pack, they did have a few girls away on another packs camp.

We have our timetable and I have pretty much organised a programme of activities, cook is organised and very experienced so not worries about that side of things.

No major things to sort out really, just looking for any tips and hints that some of you may have learned over the years, or things that you often see newer leaders forgeting or not preparing for.

Any major disaters , good ones I can tell BOwl all about to panic her .

skrambler

I dont want to sound patronising so please just tell me if you have already done this

but my top tip would be arrival checklists for every brownie.

When they arrive we give them an a4 sheet that tells them to find and make up their bed, put their pj's under their pillow, hang their jackets up, put their wellies at the back door, hand in their medicine, health form and tea towel, and hang wash bag and towel in the toilets
We give them the list and a pen and tell them mum and dad can leave when its all ticked off

If the kids have forgotten something vital this gives the parents a chance to bring it to you before bedtime

frasersmummy - That's a fantastic idea.

Hmm - just checking in. I would say calpol sachets rather than a bottle, a list of short challenges they can complete for points/ sweets if they finish whatever you have planned.

Make sure the girls bring a tea towel (and cake?!) as you will be suprised how many you go through/ how wet the ones you have will get.

Where are you staying? have you been to visit and do you know what is there - if not and its a first holiday etc, I would recommend a quick visit.

Hmm - what else for younger girls? Nappy sacks to line sick boxes are useful - no holes in there, and plasters with stickers help the ouch factor (how can you tell I always First Aid our County events?!)

Make sure you have fire lists etc as usual (on all exits) Will keep thinking for you!

Arrival check list sounds interesting, due to its location parents have been encouraged to get together and organise who can drive them out to minimise traffic in the lane, so not all parents will be dropping off their own.

We wil have one of the Sixers their early (my DD) so she will be welcome brownie and show girls to their dorm while leader talks to parent. Once the other sixers arrive and get sorted they will be asked to help the younger ones get organised. Might make up a check list though, not sure what B Owl will think.

I have been up to look at the site, didn't get inside, outside area is quite big and open and has a goo clear boundry. Inside their appears to be two big rooms, but I think we only have use of one, not sure but their seemed to be other stuff stored in one of them, bit of a pain as the one I think we get is also for meals, so will have to have quick changeovers from games, crafts, meals and whatever else.

Thankfully not transporting the girls so not worried about sick bags [phew]
Will suggest to first aider getting 'fun' plasters.

Anybody thinking about getting a parachute, Tesco has 3m ones, has 16 handles, is quite sturdy. Would be better if it was a bit bigger but a bargain at £9.99

I'm not sure what size ours it..pretty small I think we only have 10 handles but the kids love it I would say its well worth £10 skramble

If you have a hall that doubles as a craft room and a dining hall then somewhere for the kids to store finished/unfinished crafts.

We have bought really cheap pillow slips, decorated each girls with fabric paints on the Friday night... and then hung them on the wall.

The girls can keep their crafts in it during the weekend and you arent left trying to pair crafts left under bunks with girls at the end of the weekend

are you seeing a theme? fm likes an easy life

Talking of first aid

when you are doling out medicines such as calpol or something prescribed by doctor should I get another guider to witness it and sign the treatment sheet ?

I never have

But we had a nurse at our last trg and she said she is more qualified than me and yet she has to do this in her job and therefore it should be best practice for us too

I would always have a second adult witness treatment and sign a treatment record accordingly. (But I was a nurse many years ago!)

I guess I am missing a trick there then.. shall make this our standard practice from now

And shall suggest all the units in our divsion do the same

I was really surprised that the first aider can give out medicines such as calpol etc, really really surprised as I do not think a first aider has any training in this at all, no first aid course I have been on or heard of deals with prescribing or providing medication. I am trained in using automatic defribulators (SP?) but not trained in handing out meds, OK I am a mum of two and can read a packet but thats enough anywhere else.

I thought only pre arranged medication would be allowed. So confused why they Guiding organisation so tied in red tape do this.

I have no worries at out camp as the first aider is a retired childrens nurse.

Thought about craft storage and we will have poly bags pinned along the bottom of the notice board with names on.

Oh and how do you split them in dorms, the camp BOwl went on last time split them with the younger ones in one dormand the older ones in the other, I would mix them if it was me as I would want a couple of older ones to tkae a bit of control of the little ones. Also we are using the smae teams for activites so crazy to have a team of little ones.

We have a little new one who is so cute and desperate to make her promise, I even spotted that she got one of the older girls to help her practice last week, with no prompting from us, aw! she is so excited, makes me realise why I like doing brownies, the rest of the time it is hell on earth, What is it with the screaming?

on a normal brownie night you couldnt give out medications

However the parental signature on the health form actually allows the 2 named people on it to act as local parentis.

The section on right hand side of the form allows you to fill in medications that you are carrying with you. We go further and write in there see attached sheet

we then attach a list of absolute everything in the kit right down to scissors and such

We dont take too much just ... as I tell my parents...stuff you would have at home. We usually have calpol, tylix, plasters, burn spray, bite & Sting relief and antiseptic cream.
Though given headlines the last few weeks I will be reconsidering the txylix

In terms of rooms we do ask the girls who they want to share a room with which usually means an age split.

If your older ones are all in one room they are less likey to keep youngsters awake

Howeer during the day we mix them all up. For activities and duties we allow the youngsters a chance of being the group leader for the weekend... a chance to boss the sixers about !!

I do think you need a range of ages for treasure trails etc.. otherwise the oldies are back in 10 mins and the youngsters are there for an hour

I shall be quiet and let someone else get a word in edgeways now