Back in the 1970s things were more traditional than they are today so as a girl I joined Brownies. I have to say that modern uniforms are a vast improvement on what we wore then:
My daughter very kindly said I looked like a coconut! I must have just taken my promise for the photo as I didn't have all the badges on my arm that I collected at the 3 Brownie packs I was in. I can remember cooking macaroni cheese for my cooking badge. Lots and lots of fun at indoor camps and I'm sure the skills I learned then have been useful throughout my life.
Then it was onwards and I joined the Girl Guides:
That looks like a Remembrance Day photo as I'm wearing a poppy. We were made of tougher stuff then as we weren't allowed to wear a coat over the uniform even in November! Another four years of fun with proper camping and plenty of badges earned.
I must have enjoyed it as I then carried on into Ranger Guides which was a combined unit with the Venture Scouts. Lots more freedom at this level and we did crazy things like the Tour de Trigs were we attempted to walk 50 miles in 24 hours (tried twice and failed both times!). There were plenty of community projects such as painting the milestones around Beaconsfield too.
My Guiding career ended with a stint as a Young Leader to my old Brownie pack. Good fun being a Snowy Owl but I never carried on after I went to university. My daughter decided to be a Beaver and not a Rainbow and she is now about to take her promise as a Cub. I am glad that she has taken part in a uniformed organisation and hope she has as much fun as I did and learns some useful skills along the way.
