Girlguiding Old Town District

27/10/2026

It’s half term.

Which means I have a whole week off where I don’t have Guides.

I could sit on the sofa.
I could watch telly.
I could have a bath.
I could go to bed early.

I could do literally anything I want.

And yet I’m slightly annoyed that I don’t have Guides. 😂

Because apparently after years of filling my week with Girlguiding, I’ve forgotten what normal people do with a free evening.

Do I relax? Do I clean? Do I scroll Facebook for three hours?

Do I make a cup of tea and then immediately remember 14 things I should have done for Guides?

Actually, that last one sounds about right.

There’s just a massive Guide-shaped hole in my week and I’m not sure I like it.

Turns out I don’t actually want a quiet life.

I just want a quiet life after Guides. 🤣

So what are you lot doing this half term?

Going somewhere exciting?
Having a proper lazy one?
Taking the kids somewhere?
Catching up on all the jobs you’ve been ignoring?
Or, like me, wondering what you’re supposed to do with yourself when nobody is shouting “Michelle!” from across the room? 😂

Tell me what you’re up to 👇

24/10/2026

🚨 Fire alarm at 10pm… and the Brownies were absolute pros! 🚨

I was helping out a Brownie unit on a residential - girls I’d never met, and they didn’t know me. After ages of getting them to settle and sleep, 10pm hit… and the fire alarm went off.

The girls leaped out of bed and went straight outside like seasoned pros.
No stopping for belongings. Some didn’t even have shoes. 🥿🥾

We huddled in the car park and had the girls stand on our feet to keep warm. Cold, miserable… and yet completely composed.

Other kids (from non-Guiding groups) laughed and ran back for coats and belongings. They told the girls, “You should go back inside!”

The girls proudly said: “Nope. That’s not what you do in a fire alarm.” 💪

I honestly couldn’t be prouder. Guiding members aren’t just about badges and activities - they learn courage, independence, and doing the right thing, even when it’s tricky.

✨ Want to be part of a group that teaches life skills, resilience, and fun all at once? Maybe it’s time to join us! 💛

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/

How will your Girlguiding story start? Join us for nonstop fun, learning and adventures

23/10/2026

🎟️ WHAT IF £1 COULD HELP KEEP GIRLGUIDING ADVENTURES ALIVE? 🏕️

SWINDON — WE NEED YOU! 👀

We’re incredibly excited that Chilton Farm Campsite has been accepted as a cause with the Swindon Community Lottery! 🎉

And there’s a rather tempting little bonus…

💰 You could win £25,000!

For just £1 a week, you can enter the lottery AND help raise much-needed funds for Chilton Farm.

Because Chilton Farm isn’t just a campsite.

It’s where girls get muddy.
Where tents go up… eventually. 😂
Where campfires are lit.
Where new skills are learned.
Where friendships are made.
Where confidence grows.
And where some of our best Guiding memories are created. ❤️🏕️

So whether you’re a Girlguiding leader, a Guiding family, a former Guide, a supporter of Guiding, or simply someone who loves a good cause and quite likes the idea of winning £25,000…

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU. 👏

🎟️ £1 a week.
🏕️ Support Chilton Farm.
💰 Be in with a chance of winning £25,000.

And please SHARE this post — because the more people who know about it, the more we can raise for our campsite.

👇 ENTER & SUPPORT CHILTON FARM HERE:

https://www.swindonlottery.co.uk/support/wiltshire-north-county-guide-association?utm_campaign=marketing-hub-launch-panel&utm_source=manual&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=Hyperlink&fbclid=IwZnRzaAVH_PdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mBWZkaWQWUQ09X0-eNAqBwQna9iqK1R0u5VOUSXNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7sWasTjVIqe6I0u3-DIQbrVEd7UTOJXiHPlr-_IcvPEEG3kneGwSluASYUcw_aem_hfB3lTCsDejVzTusi8pudg

And let’s see if we can get the whole of Swindon behind Chilton Farm! 🏕️💚

£1. One ticket. One chance to win. A whole lot of future Guiding adventures. 💚

18+ only. Please gamble responsibly.

22/10/2026

🎭 GANG SHOW — WHO’S GOING?! 🎭

Right then… who’s heading along to see the Gang Show? 👀

🙋‍♀️ Leaders
🙋‍♂️ Volunteers
👧 Guides
🧒 Brownies
⭐ Rainbows
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families
👏 Supporters

If you’re going, give us a 🙋‍♀️ in the comments so we can see who’s going to be there!

And if you haven’t got your tickets yet… what are you waiting for?! 😆🎭

We’ll see you there! ❤️

22/10/2026

DON’T GROW UP. IT’S A TRAP. 🏰✨

Because being a Girlguiding leader means you can spend your day organising activities, answering emails, sorting paperwork…and then immediately revert to being 12 years old when you get to Disneyland. 😂

Jumping.
Laughing.
Making memories.
Probably embarrassing ourselves slightly.

And honestly? Wouldn’t have it any other way. ❤️

Growing older is inevitable. Growing up is optional. 😉

21/10/2026

👩‍🍳 READY, STEADY, COOK!

What happens when you give a group of Guides ingredients, a kitchen and the challenge of making something delicious?

Well, first they’re VERY excited. 🤣

Then comes the realisation that there’s no recipe.

Cue mild panic. 😂

“WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE?”
“How do we know what goes with what?”
“WHAT DO WE DO?!”

Now, obviously, as a responsible adult, I could have just told them what to do. But where’s the fun in that?!

Instead, we had a chat, bounced around some ideas and I resisted the temptation to give them all the answers.

And guess what? THEY FIGURED IT OUT! 🙌

There was problem-solving, teamwork, communication, decision-making, knife skills and actual cooking skills happening right there in the kitchen.

They had to work together, listen to each other, make decisions and adapt when things weren’t quite as straightforward as they’d imagined.

And the best bit? They made something yummy AND got to eat it afterwards! 😋

Apologies for the lack of photos! 🙈 In all the excitement, I completely forgot to take any. I can, however, testify that the food was delicious. You’ll just have to take my word for it! 😂

Who knew cooking could involve so much more than following a recipe?

Sometimes the best learning happens when you haven’t got a clue what you’re doing at the start, have a little wobble, work together and discover you can actually do it!

That’s Guiding. Real girls, real skills, a little bit of chaos and a whole lot of learning without even realising it. 💚

Now… who’s hungry? 😂

19/10/2026

“She wouldn’t like Guides.”

Ah yes. One of those things we know about our children without them actually having to try it. 😂

She’s too shy.

She’s not outdoorsy.

She doesn’t like camping.

She’s not sporty.

She wouldn’t want to go somewhere where she doesn’t know anyone.

She’s more of an inside person.

She’s not really a “Girlguiding type”.

But here’s the thing…

What if we’ve got it backwards?

What if the shy girl finds her people?

What if the girl who hates sport discovers she’s brilliant at something completely different?

What if the child who says she definitely doesn’t want to sleep in a tent ends up absolutely filthy, eating marshmallows at midnight and asking when the next camp is?

What if the girl who thinks she’s “not good at anything” gets given the chance to discover that actually… she is?

Girlguiding isn’t a personality type.

It isn’t just camping, crafts, badges and standing in a circle singing songs about friendship (although, full disclosure, there may occasionally be a badge and definitely some singing).

It’s friendship. Confidence. Trying things. Getting things spectacularly wrong and trying again. Making decisions. Being heard. Getting muddy. Learning new skills. Having adventures. Finding out what you’re capable of.

And sometimes it’s simply having somewhere to go where you can be completely, unapologetically yourself.

So before we decide “she wouldn’t like Guides”…

Maybe let her decide. ❤️

You might just be surprised.

And if she comes home covered in mud and demanding a tent for Christmas…

Well… we warned you. 😂

https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/information-for-parents/register-a-child/

Register a child to join and we’ll put you in touch with your local Girlguiding unit

19/10/2026

💬 GIRLGUIDING: QUESTIONS YOU WERE PROBABLY TOO POLITE TO ASK 💙

“Is it actually just crafts?”

No. Unless by crafts you mean camping, cooking, climbing, performing, exploring, first aid, challenges, adventures, fundraising, trips and approximately 700 other things.

“Will my daughter have to be confident?”

Absolutely not. That’s rather the point.

“What if she’s shy?”

Then we’ll meet her where she is. She can watch, listen, join in when she’s ready… and probably surprise herself.

“What if she doesn’t know anyone?”

Excellent. Neither did most of them once.

“What if she’s not outdoorsy?”

Give it five minutes. There is something about being handed a torch and told you’re going on an adventure that changes a child.

“What if she’s not sporty?”

Perfect. Neither are we expecting her to qualify for the Olympics.

“What do they actually DO?”

Honestly? This is quicker - What DON’T they do?

“Will she make friends?”

We can’t promise she’ll come home with the same number of socks she left with.

We can pretty much guarantee she’ll come home with stories.

“Is Girlguiding really worth it?”

Ask the girl who arrived nervous……and now volunteers to go first.

Ask the girl who thought she couldn’t……and did.

Ask the girl who didn’t know anyone……and now has a whole group of people to text “ARE WE STILL ON FOR SATURDAY?” to.

Or…

Just bring her along and let her find out. 💙

16/10/2026

🚨 WANTED: ADULTS WHO ARE MAKING IT UP AS THEY GO ALONG 🚨

Are you sat around with nothing to occupy your time?

❌ No?

Perfect.

Can you tie knots?

❌ No?

Excellent.

Can you light a campfire?

❌ Also no?

Congratulations.

You may be exactly who we’re looking for.

Because somewhere along the way, volunteering got a reputation for being something only superheroes do.

You know the type…

✨ Has endless free time

✨ Keeps their cupboards organised

✨ Replies to emails immediately

✨ Knows what’s for dinner before 6pm

✨ Has never stood in a room wondering why they walked in there

Meanwhile, the rest of us are eating cereal for dinner and searching for our phone while holding it.

Here’s the truth:

Girlguiding isn’t looking for perfect people.

We’re looking for people who can:

✔️ Laugh at terrible jokes

✔️ Celebrate the small wins

✔️ Hand out glue sticks

✔️ Help girls try something new

✔️ Pretend they know where the scissors are

✔️ Limit glitter-related incidents to acceptable levels

Some volunteers lead activities.

Some help behind the scenes.

Some bring biscuits and moral support.

Every single one of them makes a difference.

And here’s the bit nobody tells you…

You join because you want to help girls discover what they’re capable of.

Then one day you realise they’ve changed your life too.

So if you’ve ever thought:

💭 “I don’t have enough experience.”

💭 “I don’t have enough time.”

💭 “I’m not the volunteering type.”

Good news.

Neither were most of us.

👇 Take a look at our volunteer opportunities and see if there’s something with your name on it.

https://volunteer.girlguiding.org.uk/

No superhero cape required.

Just a willingness to give it a go. 💙

15/10/2026

⁉️ Here's a wild idea: what if we gave girls something so good they forget the phone exists for two hours a week?

At Girlguiding, we specialise in:

🔥 Talking her into things she'll brag about for years ("I lit a fire with FLINT,")
😂 Laughing so much someone always ends up on the floor
🤝 Friendships that don't come with a "seen 2:47pm, no reply"
🧠 Skills she didn't know existed (yes, that includes "how to put a tent up without crying")
🌙 Actual adventures - the kind that don't need a filter
💪 The realisation that she is, in fact, an absolute legend

We're not promising she'll hand over the phone willingly. We're not sorcerers. 🧙‍♀️

But we ARE promising Tuesday nights that beat the group chat.

Come find out what all the screaming and laughing is about.

💬 Message us. Your daughter's Tuesdays will never be the same.