GGEW Summer 2009

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!