We must be setting some sort of a record for the weather at our Centenary events! Yet another perfect day!
This time it was the turn of the leaders, past and present, to enjoy the wonderful setting of Blake Hall. Blake Hall is very special to us with it’s guiding connections: it is owned by the Capel-Cure family and Mrs Nigel Capel-Cure was President of Essex in 1959 and first President of Essex West when the county split in 1960.
The grounds of Blake Hall are superb and our marquee on the lawn was the perfect place for our garden party. Our ladies looked pictures in their ‘posh frocks’ which made so much difference to seeing everyone in uniform. The tea was delicious and we had time to catch up with friends we hadn’t seen for a long time.
Possibly another record was the fact that we had four ex County Commissioners there: Doreen Robertson; Jan King; Joan Sladden and Patricia Noble provided the history of Essex West back to 1976. It was wonderful to see them all together on such a special day and we were very grateful that they came.
We concluded the day with an excellent barbeque in the barn and then danced it off at the disco. There’s no stopping Essex West guiders when they get going!
This fantastic day was organised by our centenary committee - our centenary champions Margaret Henderson and Linda Harris, assisted by David Henderson and Sylvia Partridge. A tremendous amount of work went into ensuring that everything was ‘alright on the night’ and we all thank them for everything they did. The only sad thing was that it had to end.
The sun shone on the Brownies as it had on the Rainbows, Guides and Senior Section. Almost 700 Brownies spent the day practising their circus skills and generally having fun with lots of inflatables and activities. The show at the end featured juggling with fire (don’t try this at home!)
It was an amazing sight - to see the field covered in yellow with splashes of raspberry as the girls made their way around the different sections.
There was plenty for the girls to do on the day: craft; side shows; games; face painting; hair braiding; bouncy castles and a candy floss machine. Of course the day wouldn’t have been complete without the ice cream van to keep us all cool.
I asked Caitlin what she’d liked best and she couldn’t tell me. “All of it” covered everything. However, there was one thing she didn’t like. I was intrigued. “Going to the loo”. Well, I didn’t think the loos were that bad, but the explanation was simple. “Because I was missing the activities!”. I think that sums up the day.
Many thanks to “The Clowns Who Volunteered” to organise this day: Kim and her team of Rosemary, Carol, Lynn and Marion. They certainly gave the Brownies a fantastic day they won’t forget in a hurry!
Another fantastic Centenary event for Essex West as over 400 Guides and Senior Section celebrated at Chigwell Row Camp Site.
The theme was ‘It’s a Knockout’ and all groups took part in the competition. Other activities included a number of very challenging inflatables.
After a fantastic barbeque the girls prepare to patry the night away with a disco.
Needless to say the glorious weather had been pre-booked and didn’t let us down.
Many thanks to Chris Skinner for heading the team who made all this possible. Ann and Gemma Wareham, Anne Marson and Sylvia Partridge worked for 18 months to ensure that everything ran smoothly. Well, apart from Chris forgetting the pickle!
Thanks also to Tony, Allen and their helpers who fed 500 people at the barbeque. Also to Linda, Margaret, Ryan and Jan who helped all day; to the Trefoil Guild who helped with so many activities and to David for taking the photos. The people who helped run the activities (a very tiring job in the heat) and to everyone who stayed late to help clear up afterwards.
The result was certainly a day to remember for so many girls.
It really had to be seen to be believed! 342 Princesses running around having a fantastic time! The Rainbows all looked very pretty on their special day.
They all had their photo taken by the coach and horses before starting on a fun-filled event to celebrate the Centenary.
Activities included bouncy castles (especially the biggest castle you’ve ever seen!), lots of outside games, a play area, inside games, crafts, treasure hunts, cake decorating, an enchanted wood, pass the parcel, dancing and lots more!
The only ‘casualty’ was a grazed knee!
After an afternoon tea, we finished the day by singing ‘Happy Birthday to us’ as we cut our special cake (in the shape of a fairy castle complete with sparklers)
The girls went home with many souveniers of the day - a certificate, their photo, a pink ‘princess’ bag full of the things they’d made during the day and a special present. I’m sure there were a lot of very tired Rainbows (and adults) that evening!
Of course days like this don’t happen overnight! This was 2 years in the planning and the organisation was phenomenal! Linda Harris was the driving force and her reward was seeing so many happy smiling ‘princesses’ having so much fun.
Linda had the help of so many people in making this day such a success. Andrew, Mark, Janice and the boys in controlling the car park; Jane, Margaret and Pippa in the cake department; lots of Trefoil Guild ladies who helped with reception, craft, photos and lunches; Catherine and the guides who organised the play area; Mary who collected the coach and horses from Lavenham (and returned them!); Disney Di who took over running the Enchanted Wood at the last minute; Pat who organised the craft department; David who took the photos and made a mad dash to Costco to get them developed in time for the Rainbows to take home, and his brother Alan who continued to take the photos while he was away and Karen and Chris who helped sort the photos. And of course everyone who ran the sessions.
Jan made a good start as County Commissioner Designate by clearing up rubbish and cleaning the loos!!
Sylvia, Margaret H, Olive, Janice, Liz, Elizabeth and others who provided so much support and were on hand to move items, chase things up, clear up at the end and do all the endless little jobs required on a day such as this. A huge THANK YOU to everyone involved in making this day such a special ‘mountain top’ moment for so many amazing little princesses.
Well, what can I say? What a fantastic experience to be part of 756 members of Essex West on the trip to Disneyland Paris!
Disney Di (Diane Dickerson) really did us proud with the organisation of such a huge undertaking. Two years ago when this idea was first suggested, none of us realised exactly how much would be involved. A lesser person would have given up long before once all the problems started emerging.
However, Diane stuck to her guns and insisted that the safety of the girls was top priority.
And we reaped the benefits this weekend. Everything went without a hitch (well, maybe one ot two minor ones that we’re not counting) and everyone had a fantastic time.
Not content with just taking 756 members abroad, Diane threw in our own show for good measure and took 60 flags as well.
We’ve received many compliments from Eurostar, Venture Abroad, Disneyland Paris and members of the public. They were all most impressed with the behaviour of all our members who certainly did us proud and were a real credit to Girlguiding in general and Essex West in particular.
Many many thanks to everyone who was involved in the planning and everyone who came along to make it such an amazing event, but especially Disney Di for making it all happen. Just don’t ask her (yet) when the next one is!
Linda
Welcome to Essex West’s new-look website! I think it looks very good and focuses on the centenary.
We have had many launches in the County for the Centenary, and we’re well prepared for a really fun year of celebrating! Many thanks to our Centenary Champions, Linda and Margaret, aided and abetted by David, for all their wonderful organisation.
I do hope that all members have details of all the exciting events that are planned for next year. I can’t wait for our first event - 758 members travelling to Disnleyland Paris in January! What an amazing trip that will be and all thanks to the hard work of our International Advisor, Diane Dickerson and her amazing team.
We are also looking forward to the Rainbow’s Princess Party, The Brownies Circus day and the Guides and Senior Section It’s a Knockout day. Adults aren’t forgotten either with our Garden party and barbeque at Blake Hall. We finish with our Family Fun day at the Orsett Show ground.
If you don’t have details of these events, then please contact your commissioner or the County office.
I look forward to meeting many of you at these events.
With best wishes
Linda
