PAGE 8
GGEW NEWS SUMMER 2009
pminster South District did a
Changing The World Project for
Thinking Day and raised cash
for the Branch Association.
They had a really fun afternoon with
girls arriving in grass skirts.
They also made smoothies and cocktails and with the help of a dance
teacher, learned hula-hula dancing!.
Everyone had a great afternoon and
several Units have continued supporting
the project
U
GGEW NEWS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR GIRLGUIDING ESSEX WEST
COUNTY ADDRESSES
COUNTY PRESIDENT
Avril Brampton,
Carters Cottage,
High Wych,
Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
01279 724744
[email protected]
SUMMER 2009
County weekend at Netherud
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
Switzerland Adventure
8th-15th April 2009
visited Our Chalet at Easter accompanied by my
grand-daughter, Caitlin. As Caitlin is a Rainbow,
she couldn’t go on an official trip so we went as
a family. We arrived on the Wednesday and the
Chalet was packed! Two large groups of Danish
Guides, a group from Wales, one from Devon and
various other smaller groups and families.
On our first day we planned to visit the woodcarver. We found that the group from Wales were
also planning to visit so we shared a taxi and finished up spending all day with them. One of the
leaders was a Rainbow Guider and taught
Caitlin some Rainbow songs which
she sings every day! In the afternoon we all joined in building
an igloo which was great fun!
We
walked
into
Adelboden the next day and
took the gondola up the
mountain to see the skiers.
The evening activity was a
scavenger hunt which Caitlin
joined in with a Ranger from
Norfolk.
Friday and Saturday were extremely busy at Our
Chalet with many groups leaving and arriving. From
being very full, the number quickly dropped to just a
few groups and families. A family from Jersey came
for the skiing and had a Guide and Brownie who
Caitlin quickly made friends with.
One afternoon they invited us to join them in a
trip to the waterfall, which we needed ski shoes for.
Very interesting and exciting – the snow was thaw-
I
ing fast and you didn’t know where you were treading!
Another day we spent at Our Chalet, but hiked
into Boden for lunch. It was lovely to see all the
houses and shops decorated for Easter. Caitlin tried
tobogganing and had lots of fun!
Caitlin enjoyed badge-swapping with other
guides, including the ones from Denmark, a lady
from Wales and a house assistant from Canada.
Easter Monday we were awakened bright and
early at 7am by a horn band from the village who
came to play a number of tunes and then joined us
for breakfast.
We also went to Spiez and spent a lovely day
cruising the lake and taking the cable car up to
Niederhorn.
Our other activities at Our Chalet
included a campfire in a tent in the
snow where we sang ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ in English,
Danish,
Welsh,
Swedish,
Cantonese and Korean; a Swiss
evening including chocolate fondue
and a play about William Tell; an
Easter Egg hunt and night hike where
a farmer invited us into the cow-shed to
see the cows and two 10 day old kids.
This was my third visit to Our Chalet and it was
interesting to see the changes – no more washing
up around the table in the kitchen! The new building, Spycher, makes a lot of difference as regards
the landscape and facilities.
The staff were fantastic with the children. The
highlight of Caitlin’s stay was being allowed to help
scrub the kitchen floor and wait on tables!
We certainly had a visit to remember!
Linda Taylor, County Commissioner
CENTENARY 2010
Look out for the Clown with
further details of the Brownie
Centenary Circus event on
Saturday 5th June 2010
ESSEX WEST CAMP
SITE AT CHIGWELL
ROW
o you know that the
County has its own
camp site at Chigwell
Row? Some Leaders discovered it for the first time when
they attend the Outdoors
Training there on Saturday, 6th
June.
Despite some rain in the
morning we had a lovely afternoon, which meant Leaders
were able to try several activities including making kites,
smoke prints, survival skill,
compass games.
All these activities could be
adapted and used for any age
group. When they had completed these tasks and solved
the clues they were given a
portable BBQ and the food to
cook their own tea, including
the much loved ‘summores’.
Everyone seemed to enjoy
the afternoon and gained some
ideas – which is what any training is all about.
D
THE GIRLGUIDING ESSEX WEST NEWSLETTER
is published quarterly for Guiders, Advisors, Members and
supporters of Girlguiding in Essex West.
Editor:- David Henderson, 26 King Edward Drive, Grays, Essex,
RM16 2GG
e-mail: [email protected]
and printed by
THURROCK PRINTING, Southend Road, Grays, Essex
Linda Taylor,
23 Heath Park Road,
Gidea Park, Romford,
RM2 5UB
01708 471271
COUNTY SECRETARY
Pat Parsons,
142 Heath Park Road,
Gidea Park, Romford,
RM2 5XL
01708 447647
COUNTY TREASURER
David Brampton
Carters Cottage,
High Wych,
Sawbridgeworth, Herts
01279 724744
[email protected]
COUNTY
OFFICE
WENT HOUSE
BULPHAN
Linda or Sylvia
Monday-Friday
9am to1pm
office@girlguidingessexwest.
org.uk
01375
892663
PUBLIC RELATIONS
and
NEWSLETTER
David Henderson,
26 King Edward Drive,
Grays, RM16 2GG
01375 376460
davidh@26kingedward.
freeserve.co.uk
ravelling by car, train and plane, 30 of us from Essex West arrived at Netherud House in
Scotland for a week-end of training, friendship and FUN! The House is set in beautiful
countryside and we did get some free time to explore the grounds and facilities on offer.
Our three Trainers provided some very interesting sessions, with both sectional and ‘team
building’ activities. These were all very enjoyable and much laughter could be heard around
the house.
On Saturday evening we had a ‘Scottish’
time with dancing, singing and entertainment
by the Trainers.
After lunch on Sunday we travelled by c oach
to the New Lanark Heritage Centre which is
housed in a set of old mills. There was so
much to see and do that it was very easy to fill
our time, and include a cream tea!
On Monday, we returned to Edinburgh and
everyone was free to go and see what they
chose. The City has so much to offer – some
went to see the Royal Yacht Brittania and more
afternoon tea! Others visited the castle and
parliament buildings or visited the many museums etc.
Although it was a long way to go for a
Training weekend, it did give the opportunity to
stay in another of the ‘Guiding’ Houses, have
some fun and make new friends. It would have
been nice to have more members of the
County come with us, perhaps next time we
go travelling you might like to join us?
Sylvia Partridge
Crystal enjoyed her stay at Netherud -
T
More pictures from the weekend inside
This bear certainly gets around!