Template:Courier-OCT-25-26

From Claygate

GUIDING GROUPS PERFORM, STUDY AND WIN PRIZES

Shetland ponies, performing at the Menin Gate in Ypres, sleeping in a planetarium and winning prizes at the Flower Show have all featured in a busy spell for girlguiding in Claygate. Here is a summary of what the youngsters have been up to.

Claygate Brownies, Guides and Rangers joined counterparts from other groups in the Esher Girlguiding Division for a "Big Sleepover" at Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium in the spring. Particularly popular was a 10-metre giant guitar-reputedly the biggest in Europe. The group also enjoyed discovering the Space section while exploring different zones over two floors of interactive displays, After bedding down among favourite exhibits, the girls assembled the next morning in the Planetarium for an entertaining and informative film about life as as an astronaut.

  • 1st Claygate Rainbows (aged 4-7). They have studied stories from England and further afieid for their Storytellers badge. Creativity was unleashed when they made up their own story, which was enriched by some dramatic performances. For their Healthy Mind badge, the girls investigated animal yoga and other relaxing activities, including mindful art, and then bounced back in the summer term with running, jumping and hopping for their Agility badge. This was rounded off with target throwing, a large obstacle course, and a round of balloon tennis they even made their own bats. Seven Rainbows earned their Gold Award this year, which is a big achievement and the result of very hard work.
  • 1st Claygate Brownies (aged 7-10). They secured the Mindfulness badge by finding out how heart rates rise with exercise. They then used relaxation techniques to bring it back down again. Some of the older girls studied First Aid, while others worked on Communication. Three Brownies were presented with their Gold Award at the end of term-another great achievement.
  • 4th Claygate Brownies completed the Charities Badge this summer, raising funds for Mary's Meals (a charity that delivers school dinners in the world's poorest communities), and provided a donation to the British Heart Foundation. They also worked on Live Smart and Make Change skills builders, but also found time to help the warden with conservation work at Arbrook Woods and to visit the Shetland ponies at Stoke D'Abernon.
  • 1st Claygate and 3rd Claygate Guides (aged 10-14). They joined forces for an April residential stay at Walton Firs. As well as working on the Backwoods Cooking badge, they tried challenging activities on offer at the site, and assembled for some raucous singing and sketch performances at the campfire.
  • 1st Claygate Guides celebrated VE Day with a themed evening and by writing messages to a Second World W veteran. They also worked on skills builders — Make Change (getting the girls to talk about changes they would like to see), and Camp (investigating different types of fire, fire safety, and open fire cooking). Two of the Guides have been selected to attend a county trip to Switzerland.
  • 3rd Claygate Guides worked on the Guiding History badge, which included "Blitz Cooking" recipes (with som surprisingly tasty Spam hash), and again had success at the Claygate Flower Show, winning the John Cole group work cup with a creative collage made from scraps of wrapping paper, used greeting cards and magazines,
  • Claygate Rangers (aged 14-18) are a girl-led group, but couldn't resist joining 4th Claygate Brownies and 3rd Claygate Guides for a July evening visit to the Shetland Pony Club in Stoke D'Abernon, to help groom, walk, feed and water the ponies.

Over the summer holidays, girls from Claygate and Esher Rainbows and Brownies were "cast away on an island" for a week-long day camp at the group's Foxwarren headquarters, where they enjoyed crafts and activities, and worked to achieve a special camp challenge badge.

And some of of the 1st Claygate Scout and Guide Band' musicians joined the recent trip to Ypres in Belgium, where they performed two concerts of band favourites-at Ypres Market Square and at Ostend Bandstand. The band also proudly undertook the more solemn Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate on the Saturday evening

The Girlguiding movement launched 72 new badges in the summer, meaning all units are spoilt for choice over what to learn.

Girlguiding in Claygate always loves to welcome new girls. Anyone interested in joining a group can register by visiting www.girlguiding.org.uk and clicking on the "Register a Child" button. A leader will be in touch, and the girls invited to meet the leaders and other girls. The group also welcomes new adult volunteers-please email esherdc@gmail.com to get involved. Anyone interested can also follow its news on Instagram.

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