1st Downham Go For It!

Throughout May 1^st  Downham Market Guides  have been working on Go For Its.  Each patrol choose a different GFI and over four weeks completed various activities and tasks.

The final evening was run by a patrol who were doing GFI Parties. They planned and ran a Golden Guides Awards evening.

It was excellent, even included a red carpet! There was a mocktail bar and amazing cupcakes.

Guides had been asked to vote on various categories such as most organised Guide, most helpful etc. and, as with the Oscars, (although no wrong envelopes here) not everyone got a prize, but all participated.

The evening ended with an impromptu disco and dance off.

Well done Mia, Katie, Lauren and Anya it was a truly excellent night which we all enjoyed so much. 

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Rangers on Coastal Safari

Clackclose Rangers set off early one Sunday morning at the beginning of June, not knowing quite what to expect, for a morning of Coastal Safari.  We all met at the NT Activity Centre at Brancaster Staithe.    

After our safety talk, and once we had all struggled (some more than others!) into our very fetching waterproof trousers we were off.  Along the way Seb, our guide, taught the girls about various flora and fauna along the water line, including one plant which always grows at the very highest part of the marsh. Once on the marsh we all paired up with a mud buddy. Someone who will help you out of the mud if you got stuck. Little did we know just how stuck we would get!

Off we set out onto the mud flats. The girls were a little hesitant at first but after getting feet, shoes and legs stuck in the mud, there was no stopping them - as the photos show. 

Unfortunately the one photo we all wanted but didn't manage to capture was Bo doing the most amazing tumble (very graceful) down a mud bank and into the water. All the while her sun hat stayed on!

We finished our day off with a picnic in Hunstanton, while being serenaded (!!!) by a rock band. Then there were visits to the arcades, sweet shop, doughnut stand, chip shop, tea and coffee stall and doughnut stand again. 

It was not only our legs that ached (all that getting stuck in the mud) but also our faces and sides, from laughing so much.      

Yet another wonderful day out with the Rangers.

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I Will Survive Go For It

During the summer term, 2nd Downham Market Guides worked on their I Will Survive Go For It.  Girls practised compass work and grid referencing and were challenged to tie knots, perform first aid and eat things you might find in the wild.

We were very lucky to have Scout Leader, Bob, visit out unit and to teach all sorts of skills including fire lighting and we also went for a visit to the Scout Hut in Runcton Holme where Bob taught Archery - even Dolphin hit the target despite her belief that she wouldn't!  The evening was finished with S'mores around the campfire.

Charity Shop Chic

As part of the Ranger's Independent Living Octant, the Rangers from Clack Close all took part in the £5 challenge.  

Each Ranger was given £5 and they had to try and buy a complete outfit from a charity shop. They all did an amazing job, with some real bargains, as you can see from the photo.

Call the Cops! Personal Safety Badge

1^st Downham Market Guides were visited by Sargent Rowe, as part of their Personal Safety & Independent Living badges.

The session dealt with theft and ‘what if’ scenarios. The Guides were given photocopies of local people who had been arrested for theft and we discussed each case. It was an excellent session in which the girls all learnt a lot. The Guides were given various scenarios. Speak to your Guide and see if you get the answers right.

1.    It’s time to raise money for the Guides, You pick some wild blackberries from the hedgerow and make some delicious homemade jam which you sell at the Guides Christmas Fair. Are you guilty of theft of the wild hedgerow blackberries?

2.   You and your friend hatch a plan to steal money form the Guides Christmas Fair. You text your friend explaining the plan which is that one of you will keep watch whilst the other takes the money form the stall they are working on. Your friend text back saying “Brilliant LOL, I’m up for that. We will be rich”   A day before the fair you lose your phone and a police officer finds it in the street and discovers the texts between you and your friend. Is either of you guilty of theft though the fair is a day away and you have not stolen anting?

3.    You are walking through the park a notice a £5 note on the floor. There is nobody else in the park. You pick it up and put it in your pocket. Walking home you have to walk past the police station but you do not stop to hand it in at the front counter. Are you guilty of theft of the £5 note?

4.    You enter a supermarket and see you favourite music CD for sale. It costs £10 but you only have £6 on you. You walk over to the bargin CD display, peel off a label from a cheap CD that costs £5.99, and stick it over the £10 label on the CD you want. You walk to the check out and pay for your favourite music CD but at a cost of £5.99 which you think is much more reasonable. Have you stolen the CD?

Around the World with Guides

1^st Downham Market Guides had a really excellent International Evening. The evening was run and organised by the some of the older Guides, who are working towards their BP award.

The BP award is the Baden Powel Award and is the highest award which a Guide can achieve.

We all walked into the hall, which had been set up to represent numerous countries. On each table was food, activities, music, artefacts and information about Guiding from each of the countries. The Guides visited each table to learn about lots of different cultures.

It was a superb evening, with so much thought and planning given.   Well done girls:

Neve – Japan

Anna – Asia

Lauren - France

Rebecca – Egypt

Anna – USA

Issy – India

Katie – Spain

Mia – Malaysia

Camp Blankets

Camp blankets serve several purposes, the main one being to keep you warm around the campfire.  Lots of people 'wear' their camp blankets, although I simply wrap myself in mine!  Another equally important purpose is to sew badges onto.  If you've been a Rainbow, a Brownie and a Guide, your camp blanket becomes a record of all the things you've done and places you've visited.  Camp blankets tell a story about who you are and the experiences you've had - just ask Willow about her blanket if you want some good stories!  Here we are at Guides sewing on some of our newly earned badges...

And if you weren't a Rainbow or a Brownie, it doesn't matter!  It's never to late to start a camp blanket, so get sewing!