The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Accepting challenges
Girlguiding is celebrating 100 years of its Senior Section in 2016. Over the years, this section has included Land, Air and Sea Rangers, Cadets, Lones and Young Leaders. It is open to girls aged 14 to 25 and has long been active in Dundee.
The first Ranger unit was registered in October 1923 when the 1st Ashton Works Ranger Company opened in Messrs Caird Ashton Works. As well as being the first Ranger Company in the city, it was also one of the first industrial companies run under a welfare scheme with a welfare supervisor as Captain.
In 1924 the company acted as guard of honour and was inspected by the Prince of Wales when he made an industrial visit to Dundee.
By the 1930s Dundee had 18 Ranger companies with 325 Rangers.
As well as learning new skills, Rangers are encouraged to accept new challenges to help them develop as individuals. Service has been important with many girls gaining the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or Saltire awards.
Adventure and enjoyment of the outdoors has also been important. In the 1960s a group of cadets took a Scout trek cart from Ryehill Church in Dundee to board the ‘Fifie’ and then enjoyed their camp in Fife.
This year, as part of the Senior Section Spectacular, Girlguiding Scotland challenged section members to undertake their own “Spectacular” journey to Cologne and a number of girls from Dundee took up this challenge.
To celebrate the centenary, a Senior Section reunion is to be held in the Boyack Centre, Monifieth, on Sunday, September 11 from 4 to 7pm. All former members of Rangers, Cadets, Lones, Young Leaders and their Guiders are invited to attend.
Organisers would be delighted to receive any old photos of time spent in the Senior Section. For further information, and to accept the invitation, please contact Muriel Anderson by email at murielanderson@hotmail.co.uk