Gallery: Guiding lights celebrate centenary

BRILLIANT sunshine and a perfect location gave 400 guides, brownies and youngsters from Rainbows a great day of celebration of the guiding movement.

With the girl-guiding movement celebrating its centenary year, the Ipswich West Division took its members for a day out at Jimmy's Farm, Wherstead, and the day was a resounding success.

Events included fun and fames, pond-dipping, den-building and quick cricket and leaders and helpers from the Trefoil Guild were kept busy all day, said Ipswich West commissioner and event organiser Tricia Walker.

Food was supplied by staff from the farm and the girls had an early visit from farmer and TV star Jimmy Doherty who in recent years has brought the farm back to life and to national prominence.

Tricia said she and staff had been helped in their quest to tell the girls the history of guiding by a new video provided by girl guide headquarters. This featured two of her leaders and had been well received, she said.

New girl guide ambassadors were welcomed and long service awards were handed out at a presentation ceremony. Mother and daughter partnership Pat and Lorraine Caddick who have served the movement for 20 and 40 years respectively, were honoured and cheered by the guides all around them.

Tricia received her own surprise when she was presented an ambassador's special award for her services to guiding.

More than 200 Rainbows, Brownies and Guides also turned out for a birthday bash at Hallowtree campsite, near Alnesbourne Priory in Ipswich.

The Cavendish and Hamilton girlguiding district members for south and south-east Ipswich joined more than half-a-million Saturday's party involved singing and dance workshops, jewellery-making, a nail bar, a quiz, and musical instrument making.

The event was rounded off by a traditional campfire.

Georgie Garrod, of girl guiding Cavendish district commissioner said: “The girls really had a good time. They were kept well occupied and all seemed to enjoy themselves.”