Hardwick Guides

Last updated: Wednesday, 08 November 2006, 07:55 AM

Hardwick Guides is a well established unit, which meets in the village of Hardwick. We are part of Comberton District, In Rhee Division in the Guiding County of Cambridgeshire East.

This is the County Badge of Cambridgeshire East Guides

Hardwick is a village in Cambridgeshire. There are other Guiding units in Hardwick, a Rainbow Unit, and three Brownie Packs. We meet in our Scout and Guide Hut, which we share with the Scout Group. The Rainbow unit also meets in the Hut. The three Brownie Units meet in the village school.

The Guide unit has usually between 30 and 40 members. At the present the Guides are in seven Patrols. Most of the Guides live in Hardwick and the majority have been Brownies, although not all. Any girl aged between 10 and 15 is welcome to join the Guide unit.

The Guide unit gives its members the opportunity to try a wide variety of activities. The Patrols have a self – governing programme. Guiding also gives the girls the chance to go camping, to spend weekends away and attend international events.

International events

The unit has traveled abroad on three occasions . The most recent was in August 1997 when we had the most wonderful and memorable visit to Adelboden, Switzerland. We joined with Guides and leaders from eleven different units, including a USA Girls Scout and her mother a Girl Scout leader. The weather, the accommodation, and the company were all perfect. we walked, went sight seeing, swimming, skating, and visited ‘Our Chalet’ the world centre in Switzerland.We try as a unit to go abroad bout every third year, and we are hoping that we will be able to return to Switzerland in the year 2000.

Sometimes Guides or leaders are recommended to join another group travelling abroad, and to visit an event organised by Guides in other countries. In recent years one of the Guiders has been assistant leader to a group going to Finland, leader of a group going to Denmark. One of the Guides was also selected for the trip to Denmark. Another Guider visited India and spent time at Sangam , the Guiding World home in India

Camping

Hardwick Guides camp regularly, it is a really enjoyable time for the leaders and the girls. Camps are lots of fun, and the chance to learn to be independent, and to be away from home. Always, the leaders are there to help, and to ensure that the camp is safe.

There is usually a spring camp held at the ends of May for about 4 days. This camp is usually held fairly close to home. The programme varies from year to year, but often at spring camp first time and inexperienced campers get the chance to learn to be away from home. They learn the independence of looking after themselves. Often they learn a lot about working as a team with other members of their Patrol. They will probably be able to choose their own menu and cook some or all of their meals as Patrols. More experienced campers are able to learn to lead a Patrol and to pass on some of their camping skills to the younger Guides.

A second camp is often held in the summer. Often this camp is held further away from home. We may go to an activity centre or a Scout and Guide Camp site where their are facilities and experienced instructors for other activities, camping, canoeing, horseriding, hill walking, swimming, orienteering. Sometimes we are joined at these camps by Guides from other Guide units, it is a chance for Guides and leaders to renew old friendships, and to make new ones.

Most years there is also the chance to join a County water activities camp held at the Mepal Activity Center. This is a weekend camp with the opportunity to join in various water activities, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, raft building as well as a few land based activities, climbing, and problem solving.

Although Guides to not have to go to camp to enjoy the Guidng programme, and there are Guides who prefer indoor weekends to camping, for many Guides the times they spent camping are the highlights of their time as a Guide.

Indoor weekends and holidays

To complement the rest of the programme, and to provide for those Guides who do not like to camp, or for health or other reasons are unable to camp, Indoor weekends are also included in the programme.

Often these are a weekend away ,perhaps at the Jarman centre – a purpose built building owned by Cambridgeshire East Guides. We have also visited a number of other buildings suitable for use by youth groups. The programmes for these weekends are as varied as the places we go. Often we are joined by Guiding friends from other Guide Units.

Each year the Patrol leaders and Patrol Seconds have a weekend specially for them. We spend two days in London, visiting attractions chosen by the Guides themselves. We travel down to London early on Saturday morning, spend Saturday in London. On Saturday evening we make our way to Hampstead where we spend the night in Pax Lodge. This is one of the four Guiding world homes. It is open to members of all ages of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. It is a very comfortable place to stay and to meet other members of the Guiding family. On Sunday we return to London, often visiting a street market as well as some other attraction before returning home on Sunday evening.

Joining Guides

A waiting list is held of girls who want to join Guides. They may or may not have been a Brownie. A few months after their tenth birthday each girl is given an invitation to visit Guides. They may visit for one or for several meetings. This gives the girls the chance to see what Guides are like, without making a commitment to join. During this visiting period the parents are not asked to pay a subscription nor are the girls ask to wear uniform.

Some decide very quickly that they do want to become a Guide, others take several months to make up their mind. Some decide not to join Guides at that time but may return a few months later.

Patrols

There are seven Patrols in the unit. The Senior Patrol has three of the most senior Guides in the Unit. These Guides were members of other Patrols and have all been Patrol Leaders or Patrol seconds during their Guidng career. They have now cone together as a Patrol to work together for their Blue and Baden Powell Trefoils. The Baden Powell Trefoil being the highest Trefoil badge which can be gained within the Guide section of the Guide movement.

The other six patrols are Snowdrops, Bluetits, Kingfishers, Poppy, Thistle, and Orchids. Each Patrol elects their own Patrol Leader, who chooses her Patrol Second. The Patrol works out their own programme within the Guide unit. Patrols spend most Guide meeting on their own programme. The programme is usually selected from a list of options given to the Guides at the start of each term. These options vary from term to term and according to the time of year. The options usually include a number of interest badges, some crafts, and some trefoil challenges.