Girl Guide power at Wellies and Wristbands festival
GIRLGUIDES from across Wokingham borough had the time of their lives at the UK’s biggest female-only music festival.
Members from 3rd Wokingham Guides, 3rd Finchampstead Guides, 1st Hurst Guides, 1st Charvil Guides, 1st Earley Guides and Senior Section, 1st Sonning Guides, and 1st St Sebastian’s Guides, headed to Foxlease in Hampshire for Wellies and Wristbands, where they were joined by more than 1000 other girls and young women in a weekend of singing their hearts out and dancing as the sun set.
The festival was organised by Girlguiding, and was attended by Guides (aged 10-14) and members of the Senior Section (aged 14-25). It gave the girls a fun, safe and inclusive environment to enjoy all that festivals have to offer – from glittery make-up to making flower crowns to designing henna tattoos.
Attendees at Wellies and Wristbands also had the chance to enjoy some of their favourite songs as performed by acts including Channy Thompson and Call On Sunday.
And the fun didn’t stop at the main stage. Attendees also had the opportunity to try out new adventures on Foxlease’s climbing walls, zip wires and slack rope courses.
The festival will be particularly memorable for 11-year-old Patsy Jeggo who officially became a member of 1st Hurst Guides when she made her Guide promise before descending down the zip wire.
Speaking at the event, Maddie Miles, 14, of 3rd Wokingham Guides said:
“The activities have been fun and the experience has been very enjoyable.
“I’ve been to a music festival before and this very close to it, but you’ve got all the other great activities on offer as well.”
Tilly Searle, 12, also of 3rd Wokingham Guides added: “It’s a fun event – there’s a big mix of proper camping with a festival and there’s lots of things here you can do.”
Wellies and Wristbands provided the perfect environment for girls to explore their independence and enjoy the freedom of festivals in a safe and inclusive environment led by Girlguiding’s dedicated volunteers.
Singer-songwriter Channy Thompson said: “Wellies and Wristbands is a festival like no other, it encourages young girls to be independent, and strikes a message that girls can achieve whatever they put their mind to, with a little bit of hard work and determination.
“This is my third year back at Wellies, and I still get that buzz as an artist, from performing to a massive crowd singing back to you, to the meet and greet tent, where you get to see all the excitement first hand. It’s an absolute honour to have been asked to represent Girlguiding.”
The festival was supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Girlguiding is currently recruiting for more volunteers to help deliver their exciting programme to over 400,000 girls and young women across the UK.
To get involved, visit www.girlguiding. org.uk.