PAGE 6
GGEW NEWS
White Water
Adventure at Olympic
Course
WINTER 2013
Essex West Guides - White Water Rafting - Wednesday 7th
August. This was a special booking of the legacy course for 25
places open to
any Guide aged
11years and
up.
There were four
girls from 1st Nazeing Guides and they
were Carla Moore, Abbie Clark, Katie Cassidy and Gemma Hart
We opened the places to adults because not enough Guides took up
the challenge and everyone had a great time.
Essex West challenged the rapids and won. Guides, Senior section
and Leaders took part. Harlow Trefoil Guild came to spectate and three
ladies tried the bounciness of the raft as a cushion!
Once everyone was kitted out in wetsuit, wet shoes, helmet and
buoyancy aids they were split into groups of five and after initial safety talk,
go with raft guide for paddle and safe swimming instruction.
Everyone then has to jump in and show defensive swimming in the rapids. Back to the rafts and the ride begins. Up the
travelator and they’re off. Paddle together, paddles up, lean this way (or that) the instructions come thick and fast and its very
wet. Sometimes its a rush over the rapid other times the raft guide plays with the water and the raft holds in the water fall
appearing to fill up until it sweeps away to the next bump.
With toes curled under the seat in front it seems hard to beleive you are going to be able to keep in the raft - some people
fall out and the banksmen are ready with life lines for you to catch. Down to the slack water at the end of the run, move places
and have new figure head and it paddle to the travelator for the next run! Squeals of laughter ring out over the water as the
rafts continue to Ride the Rapids. Will it be you next time? Janice Noakes
50 years Long
S e r v i c e Aw a r d f o r
Mary
Aveley
Guide Leader
Mary Edmeades
was delighted
when she was
guest of honour
at a special party
organised by her
Guides to
celebrate her
being awarded a
50 year long
service award by
Thurrock West
Division
Commissioner
Karen Judge.
Mary is pictured
cutting a cake
made in her
honour.
THE SPIRIT OF GUIDING – HOW IT REALLY
SHOULD BE!
Prior to a recent trip to New York we had investigated the address
of Girl Scout headquarters and also Guide headquarters in Niagara
Falls. Once we had deciphered the New York street numbering
system, we found the headquarters and were made most
welcome. Later we travelled to Niagara Falls and after the obvious
sightseeing we attempted to find the headquarters there. Trusty
Trixie, our satnav, soon found the address. We pulled up outside a
large house in a residential area. Wondering if this was correct we
drove further down the road and then back again. We thought that
perhaps it might be a holiday house a bit like Went House, so two
brave souls started up the drive.
We were met by the lady of the house, going to her car. She
asked if she could help and we explained our reason for being
there. She stated that she was indeed a Guide Leader and had
been a local Commissioner in the past. She invited all five of us
indoors and hubby, Ray, was soon despatched to make hot drinks
all round. Marion went on line to find out about the headquarters in
Toronto and called a couple of friends to see if any of those could
help.
This she did and made arrangements to meet us in the evening
and take us to her friend’s house, as she would have some badges
for us. When we arrived at Ina’s house her daughter, also a Leader,
was there. We spent a super evening chatting and exchanging
ideas and experiences. We chatted away for a couple of hours as
if we had all known each other for years!!
This was a fantastic experience and proved without doubt that
we were all ‘sisters in Guiding’ The Warley Wanderers.
There are a few items we have not been able to include in this newsletter because of lack of space: these include the
County Social Evening at Barnards Farm back in July which included entertainment by ‘The Old Bags’ from Thurrock Scout &
Guide Gang Show; Thurrock West Division Camp at Belchamps during the summer; a visit to Colchester Zoo by Brownies from
Stanford; and the brilliant International selection weekend at Thriftwood in July. I am sorry not to have been able to include these,
but please take a look at the website as there is a gallery of pictures there. We would like to include articles from all corners of
Essex West so please let us know of any event being held in your Unit/District/Division.We will include these on our County calendar and I will try to come along to take pictures. Thank you, David Henderson, Editor
GGEW NEWS WINTER 2013
Essex West
at Anglia 13
PAGE 3
Girlguiding Anglia was
delighted to welcome
over 1,600 members of
the Region to Hautbois
Activity Centre for the
largest Guide and
Senior Section event in
the Region for 10 years.
Being on the central planning team, the Region County
Champion lead and a Zone Leader, you would have thought I
would not have had any surprises to
come! but seeing the smiles and
hearing the excited Essex West
Guides tell me about what they
had been up to was just brilliant.
Essex West was very well
represented with volunteers on
catering, programme and admin
along with leaders and girls from
Buckhurst Hill, Doddinghurst, Kelvedon Hatch and Romford.
Jan Knight our County Commissioner visited on the
Wednesday. Girls had the chance to take part in an action
packed programme, trying activities such as archery,
backwoods cooking, samba drumming and water
zorbing, and even spending a day enjoying the thrills and
spills of local theme park, Pleasurewood Hills.
The week of fun and adventure gave them lots of
opportunities to meet up with friends, old and new, and
explore all that was on offer in our themed activity zones
- Earth, Fire, Air and Water - alongside a One World zone of
global activities. The Air zone had three Trefoil members, two
Guiders and two Scouter’s from Essex West making up its
volunteer team.
The evening programme was also a hit - with an open air
cinema, complete with free popcorn, a chance for girls to
display their talents at the ‘Anglia’s Got Talent competition’.
Buckhurst hill and Romford ‘girl group’ got through to the final,
which was won by Twirling Tilly from Cambridge.
Doddinghurst Guides had the opportunity to meet and
interview Sam Kelly ( from Britain’s got talent ) after he
performed at the opening ceremony .Members at the event
also took part in one of Girlguiding’s Girls in Action projects,
supporting the homeless charity, the Railway Children. Girls
took part in shelter-building, learnt about the work of the
charity and wrote postcards to young people thinking about
running away to offer support.
As it was the 25th birthday of Hautbois we all enjoyed the
silver and sparkly celebrations and food from all WAGGGS
regions at the birthday party which was rounded off with a
magnificent fireworks display! I’m sure all those from Essex
West that attended will agree it was a fantastic camp.
Veronica Riches
Because our Brownies love animals I try to
incorporate as many animal activities into the
programme as possible. I work at a Rare Breeds
farm so it seemed a good idea to organise a trip
there. Upon asking my boss I was asked if the
Brownies would like to help to name a couple of
this years lambs and goat kids so from there the
planning began. Every year at the farm the new
born goat kids and lambs have names beginning
with that year’s letter of the alphabet. This year is T, last year was S and so next year should be U
(though we may skip a couple of letters!). We put the idea forward to the girls and were met with a
lot of yes’s and bouncing up and down! The trip was arranged and the girls set the task of coming
up with boys and girls names for baby goats and sheep that had to begin with T.
We decided to invite along another local Brownie pack who also meet on the same night as us
and they also came up with names.
The names were short listed and between Leaders and the Rare
Breed manager we chose five which the Brownies voted for their
favourite two from. So we ended up with Twilight the Bagot goat kid and
Tiddles the Leicester Longwool lamb.
A good day out at the farm was had by all. Recommended for any
Rainbow and Brownie packs as it is good value for money and the girls
really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Emma Sayer Rare Breed manager and the Leaders
that helped out that day.
Gemma Knott Snowy Owl at 1st Stanford-Le-Hope Brownies
The photos are of Twilight and the Brownies (and Leaders) with
Tiddles.
Hadleigh Farm Rare
Breeds Centre visit for 1st
and 3rd Stanford-le-hope
Brownies
Website: www.girlguidingessexwest.org.uk