WS2017

Saturday 5^th August saw us assembling with three thousand other Guides and Scouts at Ardingly Agricultural Showgrounds for WS 2017. We camped with 12 Guides from Haywards Heath and four Guiders in a small campsite which was part of the Hufflepuff Subcamp 

The theme was Harry Potter and at the opening ceremony a Hogwarts Express train steamed out of a special enclosure to the central assembly area (Diagon Alley.) We were part of the opening parade and had the honour of raising the South African flag in the Diagon Alley. 

Every day the Guides got to do two groups of exciting activities from the following categories:

Lake and Boathouse – our group got to do rafting

Performing arts – including stilt walking, circus skills, music, drama, dance

Craft and science

Tower of Hogwarts (High adventure) including wall climbing, bungi trampoline, zip line, caving

Wheels and motors

It’s a knockout

Country persuits including falconry, archery, clay pigeon shooting, brick laying, branding, whittling, making dampers and blacksmithery.

Sport and International.

On the Tuesday evening was International night where each visiting country performed some entertainment from their country. We did a series of dances, two Volkspele and two Zulu dances. We also had to provide a taste of South African food and we went for rusks dipped in coffee.

On the Wednesday was the Muggles Charity fair where each unit had to run a stall for visiting brownies, cubs and younger members. Unfortunately it rained heavily that day and the whole fair had to be run in a huge agricultural hall. It was a geat success however and over nine thousand pounds was raised for charity.

All too soon closing ceremony arrived and the following day we had to say goodbye to all our new friends and dismantle  the camp. However, those seven days of WS 2017 will remain in our memories forever and will become stories we tell about when the Waverley Guides went to WS 2017

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WS 2017 Part 1.

Now that it is all over, I can update the blog about the amazing time we had in England attending the WS 2017 international camp in West Sussex.

For the first three days we were hosted by amazing families who shared their homes and families with us. I was made to feel special and the two Guides who made up the South African team were totally spoiled, starting with gifts of fluffy animals and welcome cards on their pillows.
Our first two days were exploring London.
Because we are Guides, we got to see the changing of the Guard inside the courtyard of Buckingham palace. (no photos allowed.)
We made a trip into Guide headquarters and had lunch after browsing and shopping.

Then we attended the Shrek experience where we got to live out a fantasy adventure and help save Pinocchio from the mean Rumpelstiltskin and his bad witches.

Our final treat of the day was a trip on the London Eye.

I'm having so many problems trying to post to the blog on my call phone that I am going to have to abandon the idea. I will post some photos on whatsapp to family and the Guide group.

We have arrived

Preparing for WS2017

I can't believe it's really happening. In August last year I first started thinking about the possibility of attending an international camp in England and now it's less than a month and a half away.
We've raised over R20 000 from Donations, Spur Evenings, selling biscuits and a craft market. We've got our tickets and passports and have applied for our visas. Now we have to make swaps, plan entertainment and an SA dish and make a display. We are making beaded South African flags to swop with other countries.

We'll have to meet during the school holidays to practice entertainment, making pap and making a display.

Brownie Revels.

At the beginning of June Brownies and Teddies gathered at Trefoil Park for a morning of fun. girls were having fun even before the programme started.

I didn't stay the whole time so I only got to see the first activity - cheerleading.
first they learned to make simple pom poms.

Next they were shown how to make pyramids.

The chant was "Let's go, Brownies"

 And then they put it all together!