Girl guides travel the globe for ‘thinking day’
MORE than 200 of Middlewood Division’s members, from Rainbows through to Guides, and their Leaders, took part in a fun afternoon of activities as part of the annual Thinking Day.
The event was held at Tytherington School, with five different zones running on rotation, each highlighting one of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts’ World Centres. These were: India, where the girls learned Bollywood dance moves; Mexico, where craft activities such as pin badge making were enjoyed; Switzerland, to learn more about chocolate; Africa, where the girls took part in a drumming workshop from Manchester-based BangDrum; and the UK, where the girls played traditional British games, like hopscotch and pin the tail on the donkey, and also raced red routemaster buses.
This year’s Thinking Day theme was ‘Impact’, focussing on the positive ways guiding has changed the lives of the young people who take part, and their communities. It was, therefore, appropriate that the day ended with a short presentation on what the girls have achieved throughout the past year, after which they renewed their guiding promises.
The afternoon was also attended by Macclesfield MP David Rutley, the Mayor of Poynton, Councillor Sarah-Jane Gillmore, the Deputy
Mayor of Bollington, Coun Jon Weston, and Tytherington School Headteacher Manny Botwe. Speaking after the event, Mr Rutley said he was impressed to learn that there are more than 850 girlguiding members across Macclesfield, Poynton and Bollington.
He said: “Girlguiding is an invaluable way for young women to gain important life skills and build their confidence. It was great to join Girlguiding Middlewood Division and its Leaders on this special day, and to celebrate the positive impact of Girlguiding in and around our local communities. I hope yet more local young people, and new volunteers, will look at the benefits of taking part in Girlguiding”
Anyone interested in becoming a Girlguide, or volunteering with the organisation locally, can find out more at www. girlguidingcheshire border.org.uk/ middlewood.