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Introducing your new
International Advisors
Claire Stephenson
and Nicola Hopper
Diane ‘Disney’ Dickerson has done such a
fantastic job for Essex West as International
Advisor that her boots are just too big for one
person to fill – so this October when she
takes off her ‘international hat’ it’s going to
take two of us to replace her! Hopefully the
following ‘interview’ will let you know a bit
more about us.
So how long have you been involved in
guiding?
CLAIRE: 25 years and all in Essex West. I
started in the Brownies and worked my way
through the sections.
NICOLA: Well I joined Brownies at 7 in Devon
and have never quite got round to leaving.
What is your current guiding role?
CLAIRE: I am a Guide Leader, and until 2008
I was the County Guide Advisor
NICOLA: I am a Guide and Senior Section
Leader.
How did you meet?
NICOLA: Although we both guide in the same
Division it was at a large scale camp when
we first came into contact with each other.
CLAIRE: We were both asked to be part of
the Essex West sub camp team for Bridges,
Anglia’s International Camp in 2003.
NICOLA: Since then we have been friends
and have worked together on various guiding
events.
CLAIRE: And we socialise regularly outside of
guiding too – we’ve just been to see the band
Scouting for Girls!
What was your first international guiding
experience?
CLAIRE: In 2002 I went as an Assistant
Leader on a County trip to a Scout Jamboree
in Sweden.
NICOLA: I was selected to be an Assistant
Leader on a Region trip to Ireland in 2002.
Have you ever visited any of the World
Centres?
CLAIRE: I have stayed at Our Chalet twice,
the second time I took my Guide unit. I have
also stayed at Pax Lodge. I’d love to see the
rest.
NICOLA: I took my Ranger unit to Our Chalet
a few years ago and then set myself the challenge of seeing the rest, which I managed to
achieve in just under 2 years. Ironically Pax
Lodge was my second to last one!
Outside of guiding where have you travelled to?
NICOLA: Well I was lucky enough to spend
some time discovering various countries
recently which included spending a month
working with Panda’s in China and a month
GGEW NEWS SUMMER 2010
travelling across Southern Africa
whose Leader I met at Sangam. After we get
CLAIRE: I’ve travelled extensively around
back from Canada I am off again, but this
Europe, and I lived in Denmark for 2 years as
time on one of the CHQ Ultimate Adventures
a child. A couple of years ago I did the
taking a group of girls to Gibraltar.
touristy thing in New York.
What are your plans for your new role as
What has been your mountain top moment
County International Advisors?
in guiding?
NICOLA: We are startCLAIRE: Without
ing by arranging a day
a doubt my
in October for girls to
GOLD trip to
find out more about
Madagascar in
travelling abroad with
2006! I feel very
Guides, and also for
privileged to have
any interested adults
been selected to
to come along and find
go on a GOLD
out about opportunities
trip and to be
that they can get
given the opporinvolved in.
tunity to work
CLAIRE: We would
with Guides and
love to get some
their Leaders
County trips up and
from a county so
running again, the last
different to the
one in Essex West
UK and yet with a
was the trip I went on
common goal and
in 2002, so if you are
purpose. It was
interested in leading a
definitely my
trip get in touch.
mountain top
So as you can see
moment.
between us we have a wealth of experience
NICOLA: Mine too. Being selected to go on a
so if you feel the need to pick our brains on
GOLD trip to Honduras in 2006 was a fantasanything international just get in touch,
tic opportunity which really broadened my
whether that’s planning a shopping trip to
horizons.
Calais or an expedition to the top of Mount
CLAIRE: We both had amazing times on our
Everest (although we may try to come on that
trips and will happily talk for hours about
one!) we will be happy to answer any queries
them, be prepared if you ask!!!
you may have.
What other experiences have you been
Our email address is:
involved in through guiding?
[email protected]
NICOLA: Well both of
us ended up on the
organisation team for
the 2007 World Scout
Jamboree, I was working on the Human
Resources team ensuring that all 10,000
adults were happy in
It is with regret we must
their jobs
report the passing of Wyn
CLAIRE: I was part of
the Starburst team, who Halden in June.
were responsible for
Wyn was a founder member
organising and running
of the Stanford Trefoil Guild
the community service
and a vice-president of Essex
element of the
West.
Jamboree for all particiWyn was well known in the
pants.
County and was a valued
And in the future do
you have any interna- member of the family of
tional plans?
Guiding.
CLAIRE: Well I am joinShe is pictured in 2006 cuting Nicola’s Senior
ting the 45th birthday cake for
Section on a trip to
the Thurrock East Trefoil Guild.
Canada this summer.
NICOLA: We are linking
up with Ranger Guides,
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 in-house by County Office, Went House, China Lane, Bulphan, Essex, RM14 3RP
GGEW NEWS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR GIRLGUIDING ESSEX WEST
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[email protected]
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DESIGNATE
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07973 144260
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