Subscriptions: Invoices are live now so please get your subscriptions paid as soon as possible, but definitely before the closing date of 13 th April. Essex West did very well on timings last year, let us lead the way this year.
Training: The County Training team continues to run many brilliant and varied trainings throughout the year. Please make sure you check these out in both the e‐bulletin and on our newly renovated website.
Improving Access to Guiding: We continue to work with the IA2G Team – thank you to all of you who have embraced this project and worked with the Team so far. I’ m sure Penny, Sarah and Louise will be getting in touch with more of you over the next few months. Website If you haven’ t yet looked then please check out our newly renovated / improved website: www. girlguidingessexwest. org. uk
Members Day: Please get the date in your diary: 14 th October 2017 A morning of essential and fun trainings and an afternoon of fun and laughter. Please join us.
Dinner Dance: Thank you to everybody that came along to our very first County Dinner Dance and helped to make it the success that it was. What a brilliant evening! Due to the excellent feedback we had from the event, we have the date of 10 th March 2018 already reserved at Stock Brook Country Club – so please put the date in your diaries and encourage other members of your Divisions to come along and have fun.
CONGRATULATIONS: LAUREL AWARD to Pauline Gillett ‐ It was a pleasure to spring a surprise on Pauline Gillett in order to present her with her Laurel Award. Pauline has held many and varied roles within Girlguiding at Unit, District, Division, County and Region levels and has also carried out a variety tasks for Headquarters. A very well deserved Award. Congratulations Pauline.
Chris Skinner County Commissioner
Brentwood West District Thinking Day Event
On the afternoon of Sunday 19th February 75 girls and Leaders gathered to celebrate World Thinking Day. This was great as every unit in the District was represented.
We had an African themed afternoon with the girls having the opportunity to make a small pot from clay and try to weave a place mat. The older girls were given challenges from Water Aid, which helped them understand the importance of fresh, clean drinking water and how difficult it is for some communities in Africa to obtain it? All the girls also had the chance to try their hands at African drumming.
The afternoon culminated with re-newal of Promise and placing £ 1.00 coins around an outline map of Africa. These donations will be sent to World Thinking Day Fund.
After the event, when asked what they enjoyed most, some Brownies said“ everything”; some said“ the drumming” but one said“ it was nice meeting other people”. That comment was very encouraging and completely summed up what Guiding is really all about. Sylvia Partridge District Commissioner
Website: www. girlguidingessexwest. org. uk