As we celebrate the 80th birthday of the Queen's Guide award, Girlguiding South West England are looking for stories from Queen's Guides, past and present.
Have you completed your Queen's Guide Award? We'd love to hear about your experiences, adventures, challenges, and achievements. Please send us your photos and stories so we can help showcase the rich history and impact of the award across our region.
Are you interested in helping to plan the region's next large-scale event? We are looking for Queen's Guide candidates to join the team to help plan and organise GLOW27!
Put your organisation and event planning skills to use and have some fun along the way.
Download an application form here and return to
We love hearing about what our members get up to! This amazing Brownie, Morgan, held a cake sale at her house to raise money for her unit. She raised an amazing £52! A very well done to you, Morgan.
We adored her message which landed in our inbox:
"To Girlguiding,
My name is Morgan. I am 7 years old and go to Brownies. Girlguiding is amazing! It helps me be creative try new things and help other people and I love my leaders. Girlguiding helped me go to the Dorset Heavy horse centre I loved it and liked riding on the horses. I had a cake sale at my house and I raised £52 for Girlguiding.
Thank you for helping me and my friends.
Love from Morgan"
We have added three new dates in the summer holidays for our brilliant 12 3/4 Holiday Adventures!
Come and join us at the Girlguiding South West England office for a day (or three!) of fun, friendship and challenge. Open to Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, the days will give girls opportunities to complete some badges and try out a variety of different activities such as crafts, arts, cooking and coding.
Huge congratulations to our wonderful Chief Commissioner, Racheal Tattum, on receiving her Laurel award.
This prestigious award recognises exceptional service and dedication, and is a fitting tribute to the tremendous contribution Racheal has made to guiding.
The Chief Guide, Tracy Foster, paid a special visit on Sunday 31 May to surprise Racheal and present her with the award in person, making the occasion even more memorable.
Racheal's commitment, leadership, and unwavering support have inspired so many across the organisation, and this recognition is thoroughly deserved.
Well done, Racheal, and thank you for everything you do!
Opportunities exist to join the team developing the World Thinking Day 2027 resource for Girlguiding South West England.
Over recent years, GGSWE have produced resources for use by unit leaders to help introduce young members to world guiding. We would like to collate these resources into an online library that is easily searchable by leaders.
Join us for a training session on the new Period Proud Peers programme.
This session is open to young members aged 14-17 and Peer Educators within Girlguiding South West England.
Periods are a normal part of life, but there is still so much silence and stigma around them. A lot of young people don’t receive the support or information they need to feel confident managing their periods or talking about them openly.
When: 2 June 2026 at 7:30pm - 9pm
Where: online
We are so delighted with this heartfelt thanks from BGOT, upon receiving the monies raised from the World Thinking Day badges. We were able to raise an amazing £7,893.40! Well done to everyone!
"We are overwhelmed by your generosity and will be using your donation to help fund our trip to Montserrat in May when we will be giving the leadership team training, supporting the island commissioner and council in changing their governance, helping the leaders with Go and other administrative tasks, meeting parents, visiting the units and meeting the girls and meeting island government representatives and H.E. The Governor.
We will also set up a county hardship fund along with a county travel grant fund both of which will help those in financial need."
We love this video that the members from BGOT have put together for us...
Almost 2,500 of our region's young members took to Portsmouth on the weekend of the 21 and 22 March to take part in Girlguiding's UK wide Cityscapes Adventure!
There were 5 themes for the activities: sports, crafts, science, strong women and fun. In Portsmouth, there were approximately 30 volunteer-led activities, allowing participants to visit the HMS Temeraire Sports Ground, Portsmouth Cathedral, The D-Day Story Museum, and the Pyramids Centre, BH Live, as they made their way around the city.
Girlguiding South West England partners, including Youth Fun Days, The Royal Navy, Stemettes, and England Rugby, joined in the fun, giving girls and volunteers the chance to take part in various activities such as code breaking and photo challenges, while enabling members to discover more about Portsmouth’s rich history.
We absolutely LOVE hearing what our members are getting up to, and this story is all about Zara, whose journey with Love Rugby has been truly inspiring.
Zara, from 1st Stratton St Margaret’s Guides, attended a Love Rugby day in Wiltshire North last year, organised by Melanie Ball. Even though none of her fellow Guide friends were interested in going along, Zara decided to attend on her own - and it turned out to be a decision that changed everything.
During the event, coaches from a local rugby team led fun, inclusive sessions for Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. Between time on the pitch, girls explored rugby from around the world and got creative with a range of activities. For Zara, something really clicked.
Girlguiding South West England and The Institution for Civil Engineers have developed a fantastic resource for Guides and Rangers aged 10-18, which includes activities such as bridge building, and solving water distribution following a natural disaster.
The Civil Engineering Pack is a great way for our young members to develop their problem-solving skills, creativity, and teamwork skills. It is also a great way to inspire young members to consider a career in civil engineering.
Hey Girlguiding South West England! 👋 Take a look below to find out about the upcoming events and programmes we have on offer, we’d love to see you there! Use the links below to learn more, sign up, and share with your circle! Love from the Stemettes x
📝 Whether you’re joining us in-person or from your home, with friends or on your own, and whatever your interests, we would love you to join us at our events! Come along to build community, win prizes, learn personal and tech skills, and eat delicious food. Our events are open to girls, young women, and non-binary folks aged 5-25.
"I hope you had a good time celebrating WTD100.
I took part in Yeovil Division in Somerset’s all day celebration on 28 February. It was fantastic! We had 200 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers,Young Leaders, Adult Leaders and Trefoil Guild. We had the local MP and the Lord Mayor come and visit us. So much hard work went into the event.
I carried out my ambassador challenge - brushing teeth for 100 seconds - with 90 Brownies!"
Look at how much fun everyone had...
On Sunday 1 March 2026 Girlguiding South West England visited Isle of Wight for their first roadshow of the year. Around 50 Girlguiding Isle of Wight members were joined by Chief Constable for Wiltshire Police, and Girlguiding South West England ambassador, Catherine Roper, who got participants to join in with a police themed quiz. The afternoon saw members from the island take part in a chocolate decorating workshop. A complimentary lunch was also provided, and it was a chance for members to come together to celebrate all they do as volunteers for Girlguiding. Thank you to those who attended, we hope you had a fun day!
In collaboration with Dartmoor Zoological Society, we’re offering adult volunteers a unique, adults-only opportunity to experience an overnight stay at Dartmoor Zoo.
This event is open to registered adult volunteers and promises two days packed with behind-the-scenes activities, animal encounters, and the rare chance to experience the zoo after dark.
We are seeking a lead volunteer for health and safety.
As the lead volunteer health & safety, you’ll coordinate health and safety (H&S) support within Girlguiding South West England, acting as the key link between local volunteers and Girlguiding’s Health & Safety team.
You will help manage and progress health and safety queries and cases, provide guidance, and support volunteers. You’ll also represent Girlguiding South West England at national and regional meetings. Over time, this role may include supporting and leading H&S investigations.
Our trustee board will have 1 vacancy in 2026 for a member aged 18-30.
Our trustee board is key to helping us achieve our ambitions through working with our chief commissioner team, region office staff and region volunteers on the development and delivery of our region strategy.
As a trustee you will play a key role in helping to shape the future of our region, allowing us to reach as many girls and young women as possible. Enabling them to enjoy exceptional experiences, ensuring all our volunteers have a rewarding time with us and making us as inclusive and impactful as possible. As a member of the trustee board your voice will be listened to, and your ideas will matter. This is a wonderful opportunity to influence the direction and delivery of guiding in our region in the coming years.
Girlguiding South West England is in partnership with the RSPB to take action for nature! We are recruiting a team of 12 young people to create a Nature Steering Group. The group will work together to take action, design projects to help nature, and develop new skills. It will be a collaboration between Girlguiding South West England, London and South East and North West England.
We are particularly keen to hear from people who understand some of the barriers to connecting with nature.
We are thrilled to release our World Thinking Day Resource for 2026!
This year our resource pack is celebrating the 100th year of World Thinking Day. We have prepared 100 activities for you to enjoy in your units, districts, divisions, counties and islands.
The 2025 Girlguiding Girls' Attitude Survey has been published!
See the headline findings below...
We are excited for RIAT on 17 July 2026!
"On Friday Futures' Day we invite under 18s from across the country along with their school or youth group to experience the thrill of RIAT in one unforgettable day!
Whether your group get hands-on with STEM activities in Techno Zone® or watch the adrenaline-fuelled air displays, Friday Futures' Day is the perfect way for young people to kickstart their summer."
Book your tickets here: Friday Futures' Day
Girlguiding South West England came together on Sunday 14 September for a special Celebration Event, recognising and honouring the achievements of 30 incredible members who received awards for their dedication and service.
The afternoon was filled with joy, laughter, and entertainment. Alfie the Magician amazed the audience with a series of unforgettable tricks. In one act, a leader randomly chose a page and paragraph from a book. While standing back-to-back, Alfie appeared to read aloud the exact words — only to reveal afterwards that his own book was completely blank!
This week is National Inclusion Week, and we have put together some information and resources, including a series of mythbusters! There are lots of misconceptions about what inclusion is, and we're hoping to bust some of these myths. There is also a poster all about language and terminology.
You can find these resources here.
If you need any support regarding inclusion please contact our inclusion Lead Volunteers using the email address
We are delighted to present our brand new holiday adventure days for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides!
'12 ¾ Holiday Adventures'
The first one will run in the October half term - on Wednesday 29th October 2025. Girls will be able to complete interest badges and take part in fun activities, such as cooking, crafts, coding and board games.
We are wishing the Red Roses all the luck in the Women's Rugby World Cup!
We are especially thrilled to have our very own South West England grown Red Rose - Sarah Bern!
We are with you every step of the way, cheering you all on.
Check out our rugby resource for some ideas to bring to your units!
We have loved seeing what the team have got up to in Gambia!
Here's a snapshot of their activities:
We’re looking for two new non-member trustees to join our board. A Board of Trustees is the group of individuals responsible for a charity's governance and setting and overseeing the strategy. They ensure the organisation is administered effectively, and accounts for its activities and outcomes.
As the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, it is important to us that our trustee board includes people with different skills, knowledge and lived experiences, so that they have a broad range of opinions. There are members and non-members on our board, and we value everyone’s contribution.
We’ve waved bon voyage to our incredible Interrailing trip team, and what a journey they’ve had so far!
From the beauty of Paris in France, to the breath taking mountains and lakes of Switzerland, and now the winding canals of magical Venice — every stop has been packed with new experiences, fresh skills, and memories they’ll treasure forever.
Their adventure isn’t over yet, and there’s so much more to discover.
Click here to read their blog and explore their photo album to see the highlights of their journey so far.
We are thrilled to relaunch our beloved resource - Rustle, Bustle & Squeak! Working in collaboration with the RSPB and Girlguiding volunteers to modernise and freshen up the content, we have added some new activities and made it more relevant for girls today.
You can download the resource and find more information here.
Here it is! Our Wessex Museums resource pack is ready for you and your girls to complete!
Activities can be completed either at the museums or at your unit meeting. To earn your badge, you can either fully complete a single museum or mix and match activities across all five.
Girlguiding are simplifying how the content works to address the issues people have experienced around saving their progress and completing quizzes.
To do this, the learning platform will be unavailable on Tuesday 29 July 9am-12 noon. During this time, learners won't be able to log in or complete any online learning.
Please be aware that the updates will affect the way safer guiding completions appear in people's records on the learning platform and topics or quizzes not completed by 29 July will be lost. For more information on how the changes may affect volunteers, please read the information on their website.
Are you ready for an unforgettable adventure in Windsor at WINGS jamboree?
Join Scouts and Guides from around the world for a week of epic activities, international friendships, and magical memories.
🏕️ Set in the stunning Windsor Great Park
🌊 Make a splash with aquatic adventures
🏰 Embark on a quest and explore historic Windsor
🌟 Camp under the stars and make lifelong friends
Be part of something extraordinary!
Visit www.wingsjamboree.org.uk to sign up now and let the adventure begin ✨
We are thrilled to announce that our very own Janet Parker has been awarded an MBE by His Majesty, the King, for her outstanding service and dedication to Girlguiding and the community.
Janet is a Brownie leader in Hampshire West, but has also holds several region-level roles, including trainer and chair of the Girl Experience committee. She is also a trustee of Girlguiding South West England. She is known to many in guiding because of her kindness, positive spirit and ability to 'get things done'! She is a people person - always striving to do her best (keeping her promise) to give the members of our region the very best experience of guiding. The award is very well-deserved and we are so proud that she is a member of our region.
As we near the end of Volunteers' Week, we would like to say again, a massive thank you to all those who give their time, energy and enthusiasm to give our young members amazing experiences, make memories and teach them valuable life skills.
Whether it’s creating a safe space, teaching a new skill or simply listening - you, our volunteers, change lives.
“My unit leaders and helpers make me feel like I matter.”
– 89% of young members in Girlguiding agree
We have worked together with Specialist Nurses from NHS Blood and Transplant to create an exciting challenge pack for all Girlguiding sections. Health promotion and awareness is an important topic, and this challenge pack will explore how people can be helped through blood, organ and tissue donation, along with encouraging and highlighting why it is important to think about our own values and beliefs.
Through understanding this resource with your unit, you will be encouraging young people to think about the importance of making a choice that is right for them. This is a key part of our Promise – to be true to ourselves and to think about and develop our beliefs.
Girlguiding are excited to announce that tickets are open for Cityscapes Adventure! This urban scavenger hunt will take place in 5 cities across the UK - Glasgow, Cardiff, Portsmouth, York and Manchester - on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March 2026. The wide game event will cost £10 and be open to all Girlguiding members from Rainbows to Rangers, and leaders as well! There’ll be more information to come on the outline of the event, but we can’t wait for a Girlguiding takeover of these fantastic cities. Book your tickets here!
There are plenty of community grants open for application for youth groups such as Girlguiding units. Download our helpful list, including the links to the applications and guidance on how to make your application. Grants of up to £10k are available now!
Unity is a Girlguiding International Camp hosted by Girlguiding Staffordshire with Unity 2026 being the 10th Unity International Camp. Every camp aims to deliver an inspiring and exciting event which is filled with fun, adventure, excitement and friendship. Unity provides a more unique experience as a Girlguiding and WAGGGS only international camp, which gives the participants a space to have fun, adventure and be themselves as well as the space to discover their potential.
We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Wessex Museums - and we have created a brand-new resource pack filled with fun activities for you to enjoy. The activities can be completed either at the museums or at your unit meeting. Keep your eyes peeled, the pack is landing soon!
Each museum is holding exciting event days, and bookings are now open. Click here to visit our events site to sign up!
1st Preston Plucknett Guides in Yeovil had a very special visitor — Jenny one of our amazing Ambassadors! The evening was jam-packed with energy, laughter, and loads of learning as the Guides dove into the theme of Healthy Living.
The session kicked off with a lively chat about the importance of taking care of our bodies, covering everything from balanced meals to staying active and making healthy choices. The girls were full of great questions and had so much to say about their own routines and favourite healthy snacks.
Next up, they played an exciting game of “Healthy Living Corners”, but the fun didn’t stop there. The highlight of the night had to be the Dental Team Dress-Up session. The Guides got creative donning gloves, masks, and even pretending to be dental hygienists and dentists. It was a brilliant way to learn about dental hygiene while having a good laugh — we’re pretty sure we spotted a few future dentists in the making!
We are delighted to share with you our updated strategy for 2025-27.
Building on the strategy for 2022-24, and with input from many of you at region events held during 2024, we retain our vision to be a welcoming and inclusive organisation offering exceptional experiences for girls and rewarding volunteer experiences.
Our committees are already hard at work making plans to ensure that we are able to fulfil our strategic aims over the next three years. Whether planning a large scale event for young members, providing ongoing support to volunteers, developing our external partnerships or seeking funding through grants. Our commitment to empowering girls to discover the best in themselves and to help them make a positive difference in their communities remains at the heart of all we do.
We're coming together with England Rugby to inspire girls through non-contact rugby and related activities, emphasising fun, fitness and inclusion.
This exciting partnership comes ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England. We want to inspire the rugby players and fans of the future, in what is set to be a momentous year for the women's game.
Calling all members aged 5-25 years in Bath and surrounding areas! Stemettes STEAM Event happening on Friday, 11 April, from 10:00 to 15:00!
Get ready for a fun-filled day packed with interactive STEAM activities, inspiring role models, and hands-on tech tools. Whether you're passionate about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, or Maths - or just curious to explore - this event is for you!
Calling members aged 12-25 years in Bristol and surrounding areas! We unexpectedly have lots of spaces available for our brilliant partnership event with Stemettes that is guaranteed to be a hugely inspirational day. Would you like to explore the future of STEAM and hear from some incredible role models talk about Artificial Intelligence?
Venue: John Cabot Academy, Woodside Rd, Bristol
Parking: Available onsite
Theme: Artificial Intelligence in STEAM
If you are not local to Bristol area you can still attend this event virtually by clicking on the same link.
During the panel, the discussion will explore what AI is and the different roles it plays in the STEAM industries. Stemettes will be chatting with role models from across STEAM who will give insight into how they think AI will be incorporated into our working life, the advantages of it and the less advantageous aspects to consider.
We don’t want you to miss out on this incredible opportunity to see the Red Roses in action at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup… but we don't want to give too much away with what might be coming soon—well, we’ll TRY not to.
Our Council ensures our members’ voices are heard and are at the heart of our organisation. The Council thrives on the collective strength of passionate and engaged individuals. As a Council member, you have the opportunity to actively participate in the vibrant discussions that shape the direction of Girlguiding, and stay briefed on our initiatives.
The role of Council is to provide a forum for its members from all countries and regions to engage with Girlguiding at a national level. Our Council meets once a year for an annual general meeting (AGM) – usually June. Here members have the chance to review and discuss the annual report of the board of trustees , and our annual financial accounts. We also sometimes ask members to meet and give their opinions on other important issues that come up throughout the year. The Council formally appoints our president, vice-presidents and patrons too, plus agrees the process for choosing our chief guide. Members also sign off any changes to the documents that set out how Girlguiding should work (our Royal Charter and Bye-laws).
2 vacancies have arisen to be a part of our Trustee board. Across 16 Counties and Islands, over 44,200 young people, supported by over 11,800 volunteers, get to take part in fun, friendship, adventure, and incredible opportunities. As a part of our team, you will be contributing to make these adventures and opportunities happen.
Our Trustee Board works alongside our chief commissioner team, region office staff and region volunteers on the delivery of our region strategy.
Please note that this is a voluntary role, and should be undertaken because you have an interest in contributing to, and furthering, Girlguiding South West England.
Click here to find out more and download the trustee application pack.
Excitement was in the air as GGSWE Ambassador Catherine paid a special visit to one of our lively Rainbow units. The evening was filled with fun, learning, and even a little bit of siren-blaring excitement when two of her officers arrived in a police car!
The region office will be closed from 24 December and will reopen on 2nd January at 9:00am.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year.
Warmest wishes
The region team
We're holding a support and training day for Young Leaders, and we'd love to see you there!
Come and find out about the new Young Leader Development Programme (YLPD), discover what it offers young members and how units can support them. For Young Leaders, there will be a chance to speak with region volunteers for advice, see where you fit into the organisation, spend time with other Young Leaders from across the region and to complete some elements of the following modules:
We are so excited to welcome Lorna as our newest ambassador.
Lorna is a performance artist who makes work for the outdoors. She tours all over the UK and abroad and has performed everywhere from an extinct volcano in Catalonia, a multistorey carpark in Warrington to an ex-military site in South Korea. She trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and directs, makes music and writes. She also loves pop music, women’s history, costume and dressing up.
We are so excited to welcome Chief Constable Catherine as our newest ambassador.
Catherine says,
'Hi I'm Catherine and I am the Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police. I became a police officer in 2000 when I joined the Metropolitan Police and have had the opportunity to perform different kinds of roles during my career. These have included front line uniform policing, covert policing running firearms commands, leading the protection of high-profile individuals and working overseas.
Last week, the 1st Olveston Brownies had a thrilling session to remember as they welcomed Debbie for an action-packed visit. Twenty eager Brownies joined the fun, diving headfirst into an exciting car-making and racing activity led by the amazing Debbie.
We are so excited to welcome Dodgeball coach Lauren as our newest ambassador.
An opportunity for young people from all Girlguiding sections to take part in an exciting day of activities, working towards badges and having fun!
This event is being organised by Woodhouse Park for Girlguiding members.
Sunday 16th March 2025
11-13 July 2025
West Cowes, Isle of Wight
Calling all Rangers!
Why not turn your next visit to the region office into a memorable adventure. St Ann’s Manor is a beautiful and historic venue, perfect for hosting sleepovers.
Sleepovers are only available for a period of 24 hours for Rangers, young leaders and adult volunteers/members.
Over the weekend Girlguiding South West England took to Fairford, Gloucestershire, to visit the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).
We are really thrilled to announce that Helen Barette, current Island commissioner for Jersey, will be taking up the exciting role as Deputy Chief Commissioner. Helen comes with a wealth of guiding experience as she shares below. We are sure that you welcome her into this role as she gets settled and discovers more about our region.
On Saturday 22 June, we hosted our large-scale regional event, GLOW24, which turned out to be a fantastic, fun-filled, and action-packed day. The event featured over 70 different activities, offering a wide variety of engaging experiences such as high ropes, slip and slide, swish upcycling, archery, shooting, and even pizza making.
1st Larkhill Guides and Rangers have been working on the regions Mayday Mayday badge this term, They tied in their trip to Brownsea island with a visit to to the RNLI museum in Poole last Thursday.
We were really excited that our region ambassador Christelle travelled across the water to visit Jersey last weekend to meet with many young members and members for a fun filled day of football.
'We have had a wonderful day of football with Christelle and on World football day! Christelle likes to work with a maximum of 20 girls at a time so we broke the day into 6 x 1 hour sessions starting at 9.30am and ending at 4.15pm. Christelle is a wonderful ambassador and adjusted each session according to the girls ability and willingness to take part! We've received some lovely feedback today which has made it all worth while.
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Girlguiding South West England, St Ann's Manor, 6-8 St Ann Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2DN. Tel: 01722 329306
Girlguiding South West England is an operating name of The Guide Association South West England. Registered Charity No. 305951
