St Mary's Calne
A number of LVI girls volunteer with Girlguiding Units in Calne and the nearby village of Derry Hill. On Tuesday 11 February, it was my pleasure to help them make their promise as Young Leaders for the two units that I run outside of school: 2nd Calne Rainbows, where Ada and Ottilie help, and 1st Calne Guides, where Eliza and Tabi help.
Ada and Ottilie, aka Lavender and Snowdrop, (they get given flower names when helping with Rainbows) joined two new Rainbows in making their promise after being led over the ‘Rainbow’ by one of the girls. They have been crucial in supporting the running of the unit, home to the very smallest of our members aged 4-7; I know that I can ask them to do anything and they will throw themselves in - and in some cases rather improving on my (somewhat lacklustre) craft plans!
Tabi and Eliza have enjoyed getting to know the Guides, aged 10-14, and as our unit has increased in size to take in girls from one of the other units that has closed, their additional energy and people management skills have really helped with merging the two units effectively. They have run a number of activities for the whole unit, including one where the girls have to pretend to takeover departments of the government and plan budgets - something the Tabi and Eliza, as students of A Level Politics, were quite capable of organising. Having already received their pink and green neckers of 1st Calne Guides, they renewed their promises in a very special ceremony where the whole unit re-made their promise. Two new Guides did their promise, and all new members received their unit neckers to cement their new friendships and membership of 1st Calne Guides.
I’m looking forward to the brighter weather and introducing all four young leaders to exciting activities that we do outside with our members.
For those who once made their promise, there are some slight changes to the wording but the nature of it hasn’t changed in 115 years:
I promise that I will do my best,
To be true to myself and develop my beliefs,
To serve the King and my community,
To help other people and to keep the Guide law.
Mrs Sam Handy, aka Tulip
Leader of 2nd Calne Rainbows, 1st Calne Guides and 4th Calne (St Mary’s Calne) Guides and Rangers