September 2015 Volume No: 632 Trefoil News September 2015 Issue No: 632

Published by: Irish Girl Guides, Trefoil House, 27 Pembroke Park, Dublin 4. Printed by: Richardson and Watts, 36 Thornville Park, Raheny, Dublin 5.

The Editorial Team of Trefoil News reserves the right to edit material submitted. Publications Officer: Katherine Ryan. Contact : [email protected]

Message from the Chief Commissioner Page 1 Noticeboard / Dates for your Diary Pages 2-3 Stitch’s Dairy Page 4 NPT News / National Branch Training Weekend Advert Page 5 Executive News / Journey Programme Resources Update Pages 6-7 OGM - Tips and Tricks / Journey Programme on OGM Pages 8-9 International Camp 2017 - Team Leaders Needed Page 10-11 October 11th – Day of the Girl - Girl Rising Screening Page 12 PR — Pop-up Shops for IGG Page 13 Diane Dixon—R.I.P. Page 14 World Thinking Day Donations list Page 15 Trainers’ Conference 2015 Page 16 Trefoil Guild Page 17 Trefoil News Packing Team / Free Being Me update Page 18 Charity Collaborations: Cheerios Childline Breakfast Page 19 Out and About Pages 20-24 Ladybirds Pages 25-28 Includes some great Unit tips and tricks for Leaders, getting to know you games, parachute games, some crafts and the announcement of the Autumn Collage Competition. Brownies Pages 29-32 Includes start of year/getting to know you games, an in-depth look at the Brownie Healthy Friendship badge from the Journey programme and some easy crafts for your first weeks back. Guides Pages 33-37 Includes lots of activities for the Pathfinders on the Journey Programme and some important clarification about the Gold Award, Trail Blazer badge and National Guide Award pin. Senior Branch Pages 38-40 Includes a helpful checklist to get your Senior Branch Unit off to a flying start, the announcement of this year’s November Weekend and report from this Summer’s Explorer Belt International Pages 41-44 Includes a report from the Winners of the Junior section of Timpeall an Domhain, Travellers’ Tales from this year’s CIGA Sangam Service Project and lots of International Opportunities including the opportunity to be involved in IGG’s first international Brownie trip or to be a National Contingent Leader to a Finnish Jamboree. Cover Photo: Explorer Belt participants in Germany 2015

Inserts: Distribution Centre Pricelist 2015 Pantomime Booking Form

From the Chief Commissioner

Dear Fellow Leader,

It’s great to be starting another Guiding year and to be feeling refreshed after the summer break. I hope that you too got a chance to relax and recharge!

My summer was a mix of things including Guiding! My family went to Lough Key Forest Park in Boyle, Co. Roscommon for a week of camping and caravanning with friends. And the staff are still talking about the year the Girl Guides were there. It’s hard to believe that Camp 101 was three years ago but the sounds of over 1000 IGG members still echo around Lough Key!

I had a very proud moment when I saw members of the Irish Wheelchair Association using the wheelchair-friendly orienteering course that the girls at Camp 101 created as part of their activities. It’s called Wheel-O and the signs acknowledge IGG’s contribution. My ‘mini-Guiding family’ also enjoyed seeing it!

I also had the pleasure of camping at the North-West Regional Camp in Sligo and would like to thank all the Leaders and girls there for a really relaxing and fun camp experience. The reason I visited that camp was due to an invitation from a friend called Olva whom I met at IGG’s Standing Camps 22 years ago! The friends you make through Guiding often last a life-time and I am sure many girls and women in IGG met new friends and deepened older friendships through their participation in Ladybird Days Out, Brownie trips and Pack Holidays, Guide camps and holidays, and Senior Branch events during the summer thanks to you, our volunteer Leaders.

In August 2015, one of the opportunities IGG provided to develop friendships was the Explorer Belt. This was a tough 180km hike over 10 days in Germany for our Senior Branch age group. But the hiking was only one part of the challenge as the journey was dotted with projects and tasks to be completed as they walked. After a thorough assessment process, both teams were deserving recipients of their Explorer Belts. And despite all the physical aspects of this personal challenge, it was the friendships and teamwork that got people through it. And I believe these kinds of friendships are one of the special things about Guiding. Every week we depend on those friendships to help us be our best for the girls in our Units and in the work of our committees and teams.

And as the new term begins, we are delighted to have our fabulous new Journey programme for all Units. It will be so exciting to see this great new programme in action! And I would like to thank all the volunteers and staff who worked to ensure that all the badges, resources and trainings are ready for the Guiding year ahead.

I do hope that all Leaders got some chance to rest a little, relax a bit and recharge again over the summer break and together we are ready to lead, train, encourage, support and have fun with the girls and Leaders across all counties in Ireland.

Yours in Guiding,

Helen Concannon - [email protected]

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 1

Notice Board

Notice BoardIRISH GIRL GUIDES

@wagggs_world Jul Happy New Guiding Year to all from the 31 Guides from Finance Committee. We are delighted to @IrishGirlGuides & announce that there will be no increase @girlguidesofcan tested in membership fees in 2016! @PaxLodge's frame from #WTD2016 pack!

We encourage you to start collecting the @thefirstcaro Jul 3 @IrishGirlGuides Fascinating membership fees from the parents of the account of Girl Guiding in action in a concentration girls in your Units now at the start of this camp in China in the 1940s. http://tinyurl.com/ Guiding year. As we all know, it can take p5owqbm some time to get in all the fees. By asking @helenchicken Jul 4 parents for the fees now, you can ensure Delighted to enrol Anne that you will have them all collected and Marie as an lodged in your Unit’s account well before @IrishGirlGuides you receive the Census pack in the first Senior Brancher at Enniscrone Pier! week of January 2016.

By starting to collect the girls’ membership @jillianvT Jun 25 Powerful blog on volunteering, post fees now, you will be ready to pay your natal depression and how @IrishGirlGuides gave Unit’s membership fees to IGG by the Gemma back confidence and fun http://tinyurl.com/ payment deadline of 14th February 2016 q777d6f and will not be under pressure then. And of course we’ve been inundated with mini-figs on tour for the mini-fig competition. Check out lots more mini-fig on tour photos on our Facebook page.

The IGG Handbook is currently under Kate Sawyer review. The copy on the IGG website is My mini fig drinking butter beer at not up to date. We are working to correct Universal Studios in Orlando. this and will have a new format of Helen O’Reilly handbook with you by Today my mini Brownie watched the New Year. In the the sunrise over the Himalayas and visited the grave of Tenzing meantime, if you have Norgay, one of the first two any questions in people to climb Mount Everest. relation to its content please contact Follow us on Twitter, like us on National Office. Facebook and get posting to see yourself here next month!

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Notice Board

Notice Board

Nominations Open for 2015 People of the Year Awards

- Who’s Your Hero for 2015?

Do you know someone that has done something extraordinary this year who deserves recognition? Do you know someone ‘ Every second was fast-paced in IGG you could nominate for Young Person and exciting, a true adventure’ of the Year or perhaps you could nominate a whole Unit for Community Group of the Year? Roisin Neville from IGG went sailing on the The closing date for nominations is Monday Morgenster Tall Ship over 14th September and the awards, which are the summer as part of IGG’s organised by Rehab, will be broadcast live on Tall Ship programme. Read RTÉ One on Saturday 5th December. her post all about it on the IGG blog. For other It’s quick and easy to nominate someone – international stories from this simply fill in the short nomination form on Summer see pages 39-42 www.peopleoftheyear.com All the winners are nominated by the Irish public and finalised by a panel of adjudicators.

Dates for Your Diary

5th Executive Committee 4th South East Regional 7th National Programme Meeting Conference and Training Meeting

th 12 South West Regional 10th Executive Committee 7th Trainers’ Conference th -13 Conference -8th Meeting 13th WCM Regional October th st Conference 11 North East Regional November 21 Gold Awards September Conference 19th Eastern Regional 29th IGG Panto Conference 11th International Day of the Girl (Girl Rising 20th Mid West Regional Screening in the IFI) Conference

26th North West Regional Conference Guiding Dates are in italics! 26th National Programme and Training Meeting

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 3

Stitch’s Diary

Hello Everyone,

On the 21st of June, I was really lucky that I got to go with Shannon Ladybirds and Northgate Brownies on their end of year trip to Glendeer Pet Farm in Athlone.

I had great fun with all of the girls and their Leaders; Sam, Maria, Michaela, Caroline, Fiona and Gemma. We saw lots of animals and even saw three baby goats who were only 3 days old.

After we saw all the lovely animals, we had our little party and really yummy Ladybird cupcakes that one of the Mammys gave us. I gave all the girls a Stitch badge which I brought all the way from my house in Dublin.

There were also four new Ladybirds enrolled in Glendeer and there were 8 older Ladybirds who earned their last spot badge before they fly up to Brownies in September!

After we finished our party and gave out the badges, we got to play in the fantastic playground outside and I went on swings and slides and everything! I really had a great time in Athlone and loved meeting all the girls and thank you all for minding me so well on the farm! I'd love to visit again soon!! If Stitch has been to visit your Unit; you can order this great Stitch button Lots of love, badge from the Distribution Centre for each of your girls. Stitch XXX Only €1.00 each

If you’d like me to come and visit your Unit or go with you on your camp or holiday, please contact my Mammy Egle at 01-6683898 or email her at [email protected]

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th Notes from the National Programme & Training Committee Meeting May 16 2015.

Please note that: ♦ Link badges are not part of the New Programme. Instead the edging of the last journey badge of each Branch will be the colour of the next Branch ♦ Year badges are discontinued, annual membership pins replace these ♦ Provincial badges are discontinued, Regional badges will replace these

Presentations Sharon Flynn and Martina Fox, Chairman were thanked for all their contribution as Chairs of Ladybird and Brownie Branches respectively. A small thank you gift was presented by NPT and Helen Concannon presented both with the IGG Thanks badge.

The next meeting of the NPT Committee will take place on Saturday 26th of September 2015 at 11am in National Office.

NATIONAL BRANCH TRAINING WEEKEND

Journey Programme Trainings for all Branches and much, much more !

5th to 7th FEBRUARY 2016 Carlton Hotel @ Dublin Airport Starts Friday night – ends Sunday 1pm

COST €120 PER LEADER (Max. 2 Leaders per Unit)

EARLY BIRD €100 — IF YOU BOOK BEFORE HALLOW’EEN Travel will be refunded as per IGG Policy

BOOK Book Online using the link below or scan the QR Code.

ONLINE http://tinyurl.com/IGGBranch16 NOW Places are limited and the event is heavily subsidised by IGG.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic training opportunity.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 5

EXECUTIVE NEWS The Executive Committee of the Irish Girl Guides meets to discuss policy issues and to ensure the smooth running of the organisation for all its members. Below are some of the decisions made at the June 2015 Executive Committee meeting: Tributes Personal Travel Insurance Tributes were paid to Diane Dixon, former IGG International It was agreed that, if an IGG member is refused cover under Commissioner and Chairman of Europe Region WAGGGS, IGG’s international travel insurance policy on medical or age who died in April and the Executive Committee acknowledged grounds, as long as the person concerned has personal travel the dedication and enthusiasm she had for Guiding. insurance at the same or greater levels of coverage, and the International Commissioner signs off to this effect, it would be Resignations/Terms of office completed OK for her to travel. It was also agreed that the CO/ Martina Fox Chairman Brownie Branch International Commissioner, as appropriate, should be Cathy Thewlis National Treasurer informed.

Thanks were expressed to both of them on all the work they List of donors and sponsors had done during their term of office. Finance Committee would like to develop a list of donors and sponsors in National Office. Elections Margaret O’Connor Chairman Brownie Branch Membership Fees Finance Committee was happy to report that the membership Congratulations was expressed to her on her election and fee will be maintained at the present level for another year. she was wished well in her appointment. Treasurers’ Training Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Under 18 year A Treasurers’ Training will be held in National Office on 11th olds October 2015. Regional Commissioners, Committee The Executive Committee considered if there should be an Chairmen and any potential Treasurers will also be welcome alternative Code of Ethics style training on child protection for to attend. those under 18 years of age who work in a leadership capacity. It was agreed that it would be important for Senior Bank Account details for Units Branch members in leadership roles to be provided with There is a facility on OGM to add in account details to each information around good practice, child protection guidelines Unit. This will also be added for Districts and Areas. Regional and how/who to talk to if a disclosure is made to them. It was Commissioners will explain this at Regional Conferences in agreed that online training for under 18 year olds, which is not September/October and advise that it will be compulsory to fill certified, should be provided. Consideration was also given in come Census 2016. to girls who join a Unit to complete a Gaisce Award requirement and it was agreed that they should be shown the Census 2015 same presentation as Senior Branch members. The Executive Committee was delighted to learn that IGG’s membership figure for census 2015 was 11,742 which is an Code of Ethics and Good Practice for Leaders going increase of 379 on last year’s figure of 11,363. abroad A discussion was held that members over 18 years of age Congratulations were offered to all concerned for their hard going to an international event should have attended a Code work in growing IGG’s membership. Regional Commissioners of Ethics training. It was approved and agreed that ample and RDOs were thanked for the personal contact and support notice of this new ruling would need to be given and that it they gave to Leaders to complete the census process. wouldn’t come into effect until 2016. Special thanks were given to Amanda O’Sullivan who, it was agreed, has done tremendous work to get us to this position Gaisce with OGM. Several meetings have been held with Gaisce with regard to IGG’s Senior Branch Journey Programme incorporating the Data Retention and Data Destruction policies Gaisce Bronze, Silver and Gold awards as a result of which The Executive Committee considered and formally approved IGG will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the following policies Gaisce. • Data Retention policy • Data Destruction Policy IGG is delighted to be entering a partnership with Gaisce as • Schedule for Retention of Personal Data Records the two organisations have such similar outcomes i.e. self- belief and confidence, independent and self-motivating Constitution and Bye Laws April 2015 attitude, sense of responsibility to others, connection to A revised IGG Constitution and Bye Laws reflecting the broader society, new or improved interests and abilities, amendments approved at the General Council meeting in willingness to try new things, lifelong interests and lifeskills. April 2015 was approved by the Executive Committee. It will be put up on the IGG website and in the IGG Handbook.

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National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) offering IGG some funded places for young members to IGG has nominated Mary T Hally again for a position on the attend international leadership training events in her name”. NYCI Board and she was wished the best of luck with the The Executive Committee agreed that this was a very fitting election. tribute to Diane.

National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) Farewell to Cathy Thewlis Each of the 25 proposed motions for the NWCI AGM was Executive was very sad to see Cathy Thewlis leave Ireland to considered by the Executive Committee and voted upon. return to the UK with her family, having been National Treasurer for three years. Girl Rising It was agreed that IGG It was reported that IGG had liaised with World Vision in the had benefitted greatly hope of showing the Girl Rising film in the IFI cinema in from Cathy’s financial Dublin on International Day of the Girl (11th October) and to expertise during her term invite Guides and Senior Branch members to view it. of office, that she was a pleasure to work with and Correspondence will be very sadly missed. IGG received an email from Nicola Grinstead, Chairman of A presentation was made WAGGGS World Board, at the time of Diane Dixon’s death, to Cathy on IGG’s behalf stating that WAGGGS “wishes to acknowledge Diane's and she was wished well absolute focus on the development of girls and young for the future. women. They intend to capture the spirit and commitment Diane had to broadening horizons and making a difference by Journey Programme

By now, nearly every Unit in the country will have received their free Unit copy of Journey Programme resources.

Enclosed in your postal pouch you have received a Journey Planner for your Branch — that is a Red Folder for Ladybirds, a Yellow Folder for Brownies or a Blue Folder for Guides. You will also have received enough purple Leader Travel Guides to give one to every Leader listed as part of your Unit on OGM. You can buy additional Journey Planners from the Distribution Centre —please see enclosed price list.

If you are in a Senior Branch Unit you will have received one copy of the Senior Branch Travel Journal. This is the book for both Leaders and girls. More copies are available for your girls to buy in the Distribution Centre at a cost of €10. You will also have received Leader Travel Guides.

Leaders of Guide Units received an additional package later in the Summer to provide them with a Senior Branch Travel Journal to support them until such time as their older Guides can be moved on into appropriate Senior Branch Units.

If you requested soft copy resources you will have received Leader Travel Guides (one per Leader in your Unit) and a Journey Programme USB keyring. These are also available to purchase in the Distribution Centre for those who have received hard copy folders but would also like a soft copy.

All of these mailings were sent to the Unit Contact Person as per OGM. If all members of your Unit are listed on the same level – Leadership Team 0-18 – the resources will have been sent to the first surname that comes alphabetically.

If you haven’t received anything, please check with other Leaders of your Unit. If they have also not received anything, please ensure that your Unit is fully registered and has paid membership fees. You will not have received Journey programme resources in the post if your Units' census was outstanding.

If you have quesƟons about this, please email [email protected] Trefoil News September 2015 Page 7

Are you all set for the start of the Guiding year? It is an exciting time to be a member of IGG as we start on the Journey Programme. You can use OGM to help you run the Journey Programme and we’re here to help show you how!

Unit Contact Person have you granted access to all the Leaders in your Unit and indicated what they can do and see? How do you do this? See picture below and follow these steps – Click on cog circled on the right. Then click on Leader Access as highlighted with the oval in the left hand menu. Then add in email address of Leader to Add New User box and click under each heading to grant access to different aspects of OGM. The Leader will receive a unique log in completely separate to the Unit Contact Person. Leaders cannot access the full system unless the Unit Contact person gives them access. If you are also a Commissioner the additional information available to you as part of your role is not accessible to other Leaders when they log in. This process must be completed separately for the Leader and the girl section of your Unit.

Have you added in your new term for September in OGM? There will be an orange box on your Unit dashboard informing you of this, if your term is out of date. When you set up a new term girls who have been transferred will no longer appear in your new term. If you transfer or remove them during the term they will continue to be visible but the information box will change colour in the personal information area.

To set up a new term click on the cog as highlighted by circle on the right. Then look at list on left of screen and select terms. This will then allow you to set the name and dates for your new term. Once dates added click on save. Go to drop down box at

top left where you can see Summer 2015 to find the new term you have added. Attendance and Badge Records on OGM? Do remember to copy your Leaders into a Leader Patrol in the girl area to ensure they appear on the attendance register also. See the image on the right for instruction on how to find this facility. If you have also used the programme planning facility then, once you complete the attendance register, it will also update the badge records as seen in second attendance box on the right. You can select if the activity was completed or not .

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JOURNEY PROGRAMME AND OGM The Journey Programme is now active on OGM for each of the Branches. The old programme will remain viewable on OGM for the present time. This will be for reference only. The Gold award section of the Guide programme will remain active until the final ceremony is completed in 2015.

• The General Tab holds badge records relating to Sixes and Patrols – Emblems and Leader badges • Journey Tab holds badge records for Branch specific Journey badges e.g. Becoming a Ladybird / Now you are a Brownie • Guide/ Guide Innovator / Now you are a Senior Branch member • Interest Tab holds all the interest badges for your Branch • Other Tab holds badge records for any special issue / celebration badges and other miscellaneous badges

Ladybird / Brownie and Guide Branch specific Journey badges list the core section and the compulsory options in one area. The core and compulsory are linked to the interest badges where a link exists and once one is completed the other will also be completed automatically. There is also a facility to list the interest badge completed for a specific award. The Interest Badge field is not automatically completed and the name of the badge should be typed in. Once all the requirements are complete the badge will show that it is complete and ready to be awarded.

As well as the badge requirements the Leader Journey Planner is also available for you to use and link to your programme. You can find activities relating to that badge through using the ‘Related Activities’ button which is the second button in from the right in the diagram below. This link will bring you directly to the Leader Journey Planner activities.

How do you search for programme activities? Use the Programme tab at the top and select ‘Find Activities’. If you are searching for IGG Leader Journey Planner activities please use IGG and badge name and tick Include activities from all age-ranges of OSM (UK & NZ) and OGM (UK & IE). Use the add to programme button so that you can include the link in your programme and this will then link to your attendance register and completion of the badge record for all girls present as described previously. If you add an activity to OGM that is linked directly to a particular badge please include IGG in the tag and link it directly to the relevant badge. This will allow this information to be shared with all Leaders who use the system.

DO YOU REQUIRE FURTHER TRAINING ON OGM? UPDATE: If you have logged into OGM recently you will note that PLEASE INFORM YOUR COMMISSIONER OF THIS AS THERE ARE TRAINERS the Date of Birth of Leaders is AVAILABLE AT A LOCAL LEVEL WHO CAN ASSIST YOU. ASK AT YOUR no longer visible, following a REGIONAL CONFERENCE ABOUT TRAINING. request from Leaders.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 9

Oh the places we’ll go and the people we’ll see….

Potential campsites have been visited and we are now in the process of trying to nail down particulars – so watch this space, there is an announcement on its way in the coming weeks. Before Christmas we will be releasing the dates of camp – which will more than likely be in late July or early August 2017 and we will also be releasing the cost of camp and how to begin the registration process for your Units.

You may also see either myself - Jenny Gannon, Gillian Finan or Áine Divilly at some of the upcoming conferences. So keep an eye out… We would love to chat - hear your ideas, suggestions, hopes and dreams for 2017!!

To all of you who completed our survey – Thank You… We will keep you informed as the results are analysed and rest assured that those results will feed into each of the relevant teams as they begin their adventure on the way to 2017. ______

• So IF you want to be involved but aren’t sure how much commitment is involved? • IF you want to be involved but don’t know whether you have the skill? • IF you want to be involved but aren’t sure where you fit?

Read on and find out about all the places you can go to help camp get up and running in 2017…. Right now we are looking for 5 specific groups of people – we want those people to come on board now and begin to plan the essentials for camp…

We are looking for these people to be working on teams from now until camp: • developing the ideas that will help create camp • ensuring that things will run smoothly • finding the suppliers who will ensure we have the equipment we need

We will have 5 all team meetings between now and camp. In between, each team will meet/correspond/skype/group message – whatever works for them to get their work completed and ready for July 2017.

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Team Teams If you have the answers to these questions – Leader this is the team for you!!!! Finance Grant/Fundraiser Where can we get extra funding? Who would be interested in supporting Camp 2017?

Merchandise What would you like to see for sale before or at camp? What are the most useful and fun items you can think of to sell?

Supermarket How can we best feed the subcamps at camp? How can we get all our campers eating a healthy and well balanced meal for the week of camp? Facilities Camp Layout How should camp be laid out? What is the best way to ensure all campsites have equal access to the rest of camp? Amenities What are the essentials and how do we get them on site? Toilets, showers, programme spaces etc. Transport How will we get everyone to and from camp efficiently? How will we ensure smooth movement on and off the campsite during the week?

Well-being Security How can we all stay safe at camp? What is the best way to ensure everyone has a great time and uninvited visitors don’t come on site? Health & Safety How do we keep all of our campers safe as they move through the site and complete their activities? Medical Do you have the qualifications necessary to help if a camper is sick or injured? Do you know best how to co-ordinate the care of our Leaders and girls? Special Pre-Camp Challenge Did you love your pre-camp challenge? Do you want SB members to Events complete a challenge before they attend camp? Do you have specific skills in the area of the outdoors that would ensure an exciting challenge? Ladybird Visit Do you think Ladybirds need to visit camp to experience its magic? What would a fun day at camp be for Ladybirds? Brownie Camp Do you want Brownies to have a short overnight stay to learn what camp is all about? Do you want to whet their appetite for more? What would the Brownies get up to? Open Day What kind of fun activities would only happen on this day? Is it possible to create a 1 day carnival? Would you want others to get the opportunity to visit camp? Ceremonies Do you remember the feelings experienced at other large scale ceremonies? Do you have ideas about how to make more warm and fuzzy moments for campers? International Visitors Do you want to help our International Guests have an amazing experience at an Irish camp? What should every visitor experience?

Activities Day What will our campers get up to everyday? What activities should they get to take part in? What is the best way for girls to be entertained and engaged at camp all week? Evening What should our evenings consist of? What entertainment should we have at camp? How can our girls and Leaders spend their time in the evening? Adult What do our adults want in their free moments at camp? What should be on camp just for the grown ups? As a Leader what would you like to see there?

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 11

Wondering how to celebrate International Day of the Girl?

Why not make a day of it by bringing your girls to Dublin to attend a special IGG screening of:

Girl Rising - a must see film for women and girls who believe that all women should have the chance to chase their dreams

Where: Irish Film Institute, 6 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

When: Sunday 11th October 2015 at 11am

Cost: €5 per person payable on the day

Book by: Monday 5th October

Girl Rising is a 60-minute film that gives a fascinating insight into the lives of four girls born into unforgiving circumstances in different parts of the globe and the impact that education has had on their lives. The film captures their dreams, their voices and their remarkable lives.

We are delighted that World Vision is partnering with us in showing this inspirational film to IGG members and their guests. Just as IGG’s mission is to enable girls and young women to develop to their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world, World Vision aims to empower girls and women to reach their full potential. It does this by working towards eradicating poverty in developing countries in the belief that extreme poverty often prevents girls from getting an education, leaving them vulnerable to the worst kinds of exploitation.

We hope to see lots of Leaders, Guides and Senior Branchers there! And we would encourage each girl to bring an adult with them – a parent, a guardian, an aunt or uncle, or whoever they choose! The screening will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A session/discussion on the issues raised in the film.

Cost: €5 per person payable on the day. Monies raised will be divided equally between World Vision and Irish Girl Guides.

Places are limited, so to avoid disappointment, book your places ASAP by emailing Fiona Murdoch at [email protected] or phoning 085 8570565 before Monday 5th October.

Leaders and parents are advised that ‘Girl Rising’ is an informative, educational documentary about the lives of impoverished girls living in countries where education for girls isn’t a priority. The film explores the dangerous inequalities that girls and young women face in parts of the world. Some segments deal with intense and disturbing topics, including slavery, child marriage and human trafficking. There are matter-of-fact discussions of these issues, but nothing graphic is shown. The full-length version of the film (90 minutes) received a PG13 rating in the US – the same rating that applies to Jurassic Park, Avengers Assemble and The Titanic. We will be watching a 45-minute version, which has already been viewed by many girls age 10+ in Ireland. A number of experienced IGG Leaders have also viewed it and believe it is eminently suitable for Guides as well as Senior Branchers. Nevertheless, it will be necessary for parents to sign a consent form. You will receive this form as an attachment to the weekly newsletter.

“Girl Rising is not just a film but also a movement dedicated to achieving educational equity for girls around the world.”

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Public relations — new ideas

Three Districts in the West and Central Midlands Region (Longford, Clondra and Ardagh) are currently – like most Units in the country – desperate for new Leaders. We decided to have a go at a pop-up shop in Longford town to try and raise our profile, attract members past and present and possibly get a few names of prospective Leaders.

Things to do: 1. Find a shop 2. Set a date 3. Chase promotional material

As we decided to do this quite close to the end of term, dates that suited everyone were quite limited so we settled on a date that only gave us a week and a half to prepare for it. Of course, if we were doing it again – and we would – we would give a longer lead-up time in order to spread the word, build up the girls and maximise publicity.

I approached local estate agents and went around the town taking numbers of shops to lease and spoke with a friend in the County Council. We wanted a shop that was in a prime footfall area, that we felt people would be passing on a Saturday. Despite the estate agent saying he had plenty of properties and that they wouldn’t mind having pop-up shops, after our initial conversation and many follow up emails, I didn’t hear from him again. One of the Councillors in Longford Co. Council is proposing a simple process to facilitate pop-up shops, but it was only in draft format so no joy there either! There was a shop in the Longford Tesco Carpark with a phone number in the window, I rang and explained who I was and what I wanted and the owner said we could use it for €100.

Our date was the weekend after IGG had their display at the RDS, so they had all their promotional material packed up and ready to go. Ringing National Office I was asked if anyone was travelling to Dublin to pick up PR materials, but we didn't have anyone - so we organised our own courier who collected the display posters and a small selection of sale or return items from the shop.

Using OGM I mailed all the Leaders in Longford, Clondra and Ardagh asking them if they would be available at some stage over the day - we decided on running from 10:30am-5pm. I would be staying for the full day as would the WCM RDO Marie and Carmel, Ardagh District Commissioner. Enough Leaders came back to organise a rota for the full day with at least 4 or 5 Leaders at all times.

I set up an event on Facebook and tried to share it as far as possible, I private messaged a number of local news pages and local interest groups asking them to share our event. I contacted the local newspaper with a brief overview of Guiding in County Longford and telling them about the event which was published on the Wednesday before the event.

On the day we started early as we hadn't wanted to leave stuff in the shop overnight. We printed photos of our girls and set up a tent - Guide corner, toadstool and Brown Owl, Brownie corner and pinned up the Ladybird Garden. We had beads and pipe- cleaners and 'smores of course so children callers went home with a craft and had set fire to something. We had tea & coffee available should anyone want it. Luckily, my son's teacher had just got through to the Rose of Tralee finals and is talk of the town, she called in to see us and wish us luck, which made a great photo-op which will definitely make the paper!

Overall the day wasn't very busy due to communion and other influences - again our hurry to set a date before the Summer limited us from that perspective. However, there was a general good feeling about the people who did call in. We got a couple of names, spent a long time chatting to each other, putting Guiding in County Longford to rights, which in itself was a bonus! It probably cost in total around €160 but I feel it was well spent and would do it again. However, we would probably try and get a small stand in the actual shopping centre so people don't even have to go to the effort of walking through the door before our well-trained Brownies and Guides can accost them with leaflets and smiles… Joanna Pearman

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 13

Diane Dixon

Diane Dixon sadly lost her battle with cancer on 25th April 2015, aged 55. She has left an enormous legacy from her involvement in Guiding at so many different levels.

She gave a huge amount of her time and talents to the Irish Girl Guides – she was a Guide Leader for 26 years, she was International Commissioner for a full six-year term and she chaired the ad-hoc committee responsible for IGG’s Centenary year. Up to shortly before her death she regularly volunteered in Crumlin Hospital Guide Unit and was a member of IGG’s Finance Committee, with responsibility for fundraising.

In 2001, her Guiding involvement developed to WAGGGS level, when she was elected as a member of the WAGGGS Europe Region Committee. In 2004, she was subsequently elected as Chairman of Europe Region WAGGGS for a further 3 years. A testament to her strength of mind and character was the fact that, the day after she returned from the Europe Region Conference at which she had been elected Chairman, she went into hospital for a mastectomy! At the time of her death she was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Our Chalet Foundation.

Diane was a trained librarian and IGG benefitted from her professional expertise when she set up the lending library in National Office. She often came in on a day or two of her holidays to catch up with cataloguing.

Diane loved a challenge and took on many personal challenges through IGG. She did the Chief Commissioner’s Award with Dilys Lindsay in exceptionally wet weather in Wicklow in 2007. She also took part in service projects in both the Republic of Georgia and at Sangam.

She was always one of the first people to volunteer to help with a project e.g. in more recent years she ran the shop at CAMP 101 and helped with the Brownie Brilliant Birthday event at the Zoo.

The words of the Guide Creed which was sung at her funeral service epitomised Diane’s bravery and strength of character:-

I would be true, for there are those who trust me; I would be pure, for there are those who care; I would be strong, for there is much to suffer; I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

I would be friend of all - the foe, the friendless; I would be giving, and forget the gift; I would be humble, for I know my weakness; I would look up, and laugh, and love, and learn to live. “I have gone home”

Diane had the true Guiding spirit and her many friends miss her greatly.

Page 14 Trefoil News September 2015

Arbutus Brownies Rathfarnham Brownies W Arbutus Guides Rosmote Ladybirds, Brownies and Guides Arbutus Ladybirds Sallins Brownies O Ardilaun Guides/Brownies / MacEgan Seashell Girl Guides Rangers Sheila Luckwill R Athlone District Siamsa Brownie Pack/ St Peter's Guides Ballincollig/Ovens District Silver Birch Brownies / Orchard Ladybirds Ballybay Ladybirds, Brownies and Guides South Cork Trefoil Guild L Banagher and Ferbane District St Dominick’s Guides Bhuithe Brownies St Laurence’s Brownies D Bluebell Brownies St Theresa's Ladybirds Brosna Brownies Slieve Mish District Camcor Brownies and Camcor Ladybirds Sllorgan Blue Pack Brownies Cashel District Girl Guides Sllorgan Gold Pack T Cealla Unit Taney Brownies Centenary Girl Guides Teampaillin Bar Brownies Charleville District Tivoli Guides H Dark Chocolate Brownies Trefoil Guild - Dublin Branch Delgany Brownies Trefoil Guild - Kildare Area I Delgany Ladybirds Wellington Brownies Dilys Lindsay Whitechurch Guides N Donabate Brownies Yellow Steeple Brownies Dun Laoghaire Trefoil Guild Dun Olaf Guides K Dundrum Brownies Dundrum Ladybirds I East Wicklow Trefoil Guild Enniskerry Brownies N Glasson Guides Glyde Guides G Greystones Ladybirds Howth Brownies Kilbehenny Brownies Killarney District Kilternan Guides D Kinsale Guides, Brownies, Ladybirds A Liffey Ladybirds Lucan Guides Y Maynooth District €7542.27 Millmount Guides Moatlands Brownies in total raised by IGG Naas Brownies members so far— Navan Guides thank you to all those f Orchard Ladybirds (Dungarvan) who have contributed Owenabue Brownies U Rathdown District Rathdowney Guides n d Trefoil News September 2015 Page 15

CALLING ALL TRAINERS, & TRAINEE TRAINERS …

COME AND JOIN ATOC AT THIS YEAR’S

TRAINERS’ CONFERENCE 2015

When: 7th— 8th November 2015 NEW Where: Athlone Springs Hotel, Athone

IDEAS REGISTRATION - 10.00 a.m. START - 10.30 a.m. Saturday FINISH - Lunchtime on Sunday

Cost: €30 booking deposit (This event is heavily subsidised)

Please send the below application form along with a fee of €30 to: Margaret Patterson c/o National Office, 27 Pembroke Park, Dublin 4 by 5th October.

TRAINERS’ CONFERENCE

Name:______Region:______

Phone:______Email: ______

Would like to share with:______

Dietary Requirements:______

Page 16 Trefoil News September 2015

It’s the beginning of a new Guiding Year and for this year Trefoil Guild has set itself some targets.

First Target Convince every adult member of IGG that there is a place for them in Trefoil Guild.

You can be a member of Trefoil Guild even if you are an active Leader in a Unit. The only criterion is that you must be over 18. Any Trefoil Guild Unit can have members who are active Leaders and also members who have given up active Guiding!

What do Active Leaders gain from being a member of Trefoil Guild?

♦ They can keep in touch on an occasional or regular social basis with those who have had to give up their role in Guiding ♦ They have the opportunity to attend all adult International Events hosted by the International Scout and Guide Fellowship. (ISGF) ♦ They can take part in the “Evergreen Trail” which is a Personal Challenge for Adults which will be launched in the autumn ♦ Leaders who leave Ireland on a short term basis can maintain their Garda Vetting if they join Trefoil Guild

Second Target Produce the Evergreen Trail Challenge

Third Target Grow the Membership of Trefoil Guild

Work is ongoing on finding ways to set up some new Guilds

Maybe there will be a group interested in a particular topic:- Craft, Hillwalking, Book Club, Theatre going, Food, Camping and Caravanning or maybe a new group in a new place or with a new group of interested people or maybe an Internet Group?

Fourth Target Produce a new Leaflet, Handbook and Newsletter

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Happenings over the summer

• Irish Trefoil Guild National Council AGM - At this event, a Trefoil Guild member from Belfast read us a poem written by the famous English poet Patience Strong. The first few lines were lovely and something to keep in mind at all times:

A Guide is pledged to lend a hand, And be a friend indeed Easing someone else's load Wherever there's a need

♦ 5 Members of Dublin Trefoil Guild spent a day with their twinned Guild in Belfast when they renewed their friendships. With 12 of the Belfast Members they had an official tour of the City Hall, and visited the Titanic Memorial Garden and the Victoria Shopping Centre ♦ A group attended the AGM of the UK Trefoil Guild held in Derry-Londonderry and renewed many contacts ♦ A group from the Friends of 4 World Centres visited Trefoil House and were entertained by members of Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Trefoil Guilds ♦ FIGS organised a very successful barbecue in Cork in June which was attended by the newly appointed Lord Mayor

For more information about Trefoil Guild or any questions you might have — contact Hazel Convery [email protected] 087 2213257

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 17

Trefoil News Packing Team — SERVICE TO OTHERS

Have you ever wondered how the Trefoil News magazines that arrive through your letterbox have come about?

A huge number of people are involved in the process: first, there’s Katherine Ryan the editor, without whom there wouldn’t be any interesting, packed full of ideas magazine at all! Then there are all the committees who submit the programmes and information for the Ladybird, Brownie, Guide, Senior Branch and International pages. Another very important person is the proof reader of every single word…..that’s Linda Peters, our CEO. Next, it goes off to the printer, who then returns it in all its glory back to National Office – boxes and boxes and boxes! Meanwhile, Egle our receptionist is busy preparing all the mailing labels.

Now for the people I really want to tell you about….. This is the ‘Packing Team’ – an amazing group of almost twenty ladies, all retired Leaders, who give up their time on a Thursday morning to come and pack Trefoil News into its plastic packets, and then into sacks ready for the postman. What makes these ladies so special is that they have been doing this for years and years, as part of their service to Guiding; and talking about years………they have a combined age of 1,472! The oldest of them has recently had her 89th birthday, and the youngest is in her mid forties!

I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of these ladies, who give us their time and commitment so cheerfully and willingly…… without them, you wouldn’t receive your Trefoil News on a Monday morning!

We are always happy to welcome new members to our team, so if any of you from Eastern Region have time to spare from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on three Thursdays before Christmas, and four Thursdays between January and May, please ring National Office (01-6683898) and have a chat with either Egle or Katherine. Lunch is provided after packing, and also the money for your parking meter or bus fare!

Dilys Lindsay, Packing Team Coordinator.

Don't forget that this WAGGGS special issue badge is still running alongside our new programme. It is a very worthwhile programme which will improve your girls' body confidence and self image. Once you've completed it don't forget to download the evaluation form and purchase your badges from National Office.

You can download the Leader pack and the girls’ packs and the evaluation forms from http://tinyurl/.com/IGGFreeBeingMe

Helen O'Reilly attended the Free Being Me Festival which took place in Sangam in August and thoroughly enjoyed spreading the message about the image myth. Millie and Gilly came along in her rucksack for the journey….

[email protected] #FreebeingmeCIGA freebeingmeciga

Page 18 Trefoil News September 2015

CHARITY COLLABORATIONS

Childline begin every year with the huge task of raising €3.3m to help us continue to keep the children’s help lines open on a 24 hour basis. Childline is the only 24 hour service for children in Ireland and we rely on the general public for 90% of these funds. We appreciate that this is a huge ask but so far, through peoples generosity, we have maintained this vital service.

Our most successful campaign is the Cheerios Childline Breakfast which is in the 8th year. Every year Schools, Businesses, Guides, Scouts etc. come together and host a Breakfast (or other event) to raise funds for Childline. This takes place around the country in October and is a great favourite, with many organisations taking part year after year.

As a Childline volunteer, I am very aware that some children have very specific ‘safe times’ when they can call the service. Some are too upset or afraid to talk on their first call and just need reassurance that we are there for them whenever they are ready to talk. It is unthinkable that we might ever have to tell these children that they have to put their hurt on hold or that they need to choose another time to ring. It is essential that we keep this 24 hour service going, and below is some information on how you can help us with this. Thank you, Monica Rowe, Childline

HOST A CHEERIOS CHILDLINE BREAKFAST THIS OCTOBER?

And help Childline be there for EVERY child who needs them...

Register with Childline for your breakfast/coffee morning – You can register online or phone the Childline breakfast team at 1850 50 40 50. Please give:

• Your name and title • How many you are hoping will take part in the event • What date would you be hoping to have this event. If you can’t have this event within the dates of the week above, you can have it before or after • Ideas on what you can do for your event

You will receive your “Breakfast Pack” closer to the time – in this pack Childline will provide details about the event, a poster to advertise, balloons to decorate, a letter of authorisation so you can ask for local sponsorship, and a money box so you can return the funds easily to us.

Plan your event: • Ask the girls to get involved – maybe you could ask them to bake goods e.g. muffins, pancakes / or organise local sponsorship for the event e.g. your local Tesco or Spar might provide community vouchers • Maybe turn it into a Pyjama evening with breakfast cereals... • Plan your date – this can be held around a Unit meeting already planned. Advertise the event with your girls and their families – put up your poster with a time, date and location • Childline could also supply mini sponsorship cards if you’re interested in each girl raising money. Or just collect and donate your subs for that week • Have your event and……HAVE FUN! • Return the funds to Childline – details will be provided on how to do this in the “Breakfast Pack” you receive so it will be easy for you!

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 19

OUT AND ABOUT

North East - Camp Celtic Myths

Over 130 girls enjoyed camping in Loughcrew, Co. Meath from the 15th-19th July. Despite the bad weather, a great time was had by all!

The theme was Camp Celtic Myths with three sub-camps called Queen Maebh and the Bull of Cooley, Grainne Mhaol and Deirdre of the Sorrows. As well as camping skills, the girls enjoyed taking part in the Girl Guide equivalent of the Six Tasks of Na Fianna. The challenges included Catapult Combat, completing the Loughcrew Adventure Centre’s Assault course and Zip wire, Salmon of Knowledge Quiz, Learning Ogham writing, visiting Loughcrew Cairns and competing in the Warrior Queen’s Dance off.

President of IGG, Maureen Dillon, who is also a Guide Leader in Kells said ‘it was a pleasure to see all the fun and laughter and new friendships being made’.

Guides came all over the North East, Ashbourne, Boyne Valley, Kells, Knockbridge, Louth Village, Mullagh, Navan, Oldcastle and Trim. The 130 Girl Guides, Senior Branch and Leaders also enjoyed an International experience as they were joined by 9 Girl Scouts from North Carolina USA.

BELMONT BROWNIES’ BEST DAY EVER

Belmont Brownies, Bray joined forces with Enniskerry Brownies for a funtastic day at Causey Farm. The Leaders were treated to tea/scones while the girls changed into their old clothes. After a bumpy ride on the back of a tractor we arrived at the bog. All of the girls (and some of the Leaders) had so much fun Bog Hole Jumping. Then it was time for lunch (and more tea/scones.) After lunch, the girls spent time with newborn lambs, chickens, donkeys, turkeys, pigs not forgetting the farm dog 'Patch'. The girls also learnt how to milk a cow, followed up by completing some graffitti art on the inside of a barn wall. The girls finished off their day by ringing the Wishing Bell under the tree. Everybody really enjoyed their day out.

Page 20 Trefoil News September 2015

OUT AND ABOUT

Sallins, Prosperous and Naas Guides in Newgrange Lodge

Navan Girl Guides — Swim for Sangam

One of the World Guide Centres, Sangam, is currently fundraising to rebuild its swimming pool, which is used by their many visitors and underprivileged children and adults in Pune, India. This gesture would make a difference to thousands of people each year and also Navan Guides would become part of the history of Sangam for many years to come.

The Guides did different water challenges in the National Aquatic Centre Blanchardstown and were delighted to raise over €470. Local Guide Leader Anne Hyland said ‘Our target was to raise €200, the Guides did an amazing job with the fund raising! Guiding is all about having fun and giving girls confidence; it was great to witness them working together and encouraging each other to rise to the challenges in the pool, they are great girls!’

16 LIFFEY BROWNIES from Have you been Celbridge, and 4 Leaders went Out and About? on the Viking Splash tour over Tell us about it the summer. They all had a [email protected] great time and now enjoy scaring Celts in their spare time.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 21

OUT AND ABOUT

Brownies from Macroom, Ryelane and Dunmanway Co.Cork camped for a night in Caum Macroom under the leadership of Rosaleen Henry. A great night was had by all 28 Brownies enjoying singing songs around a campfire and drinking hot chocolate and eating 'smores' (melted marshmallows between chocolate biscuits!) All the girls put up and took down their own tents and packed them away. Zion Ladybirds Gingerbread Day

WHITECHURCH BROWNIES

To round up our year we took the girls to Giddy Studios in Dundrum. We thought it would be a nightmare with 25 kids but the staff were so good and took over, had all the girls seated with paints and pottery in no time, giving the Leaders a nice break. The Brownies came away with fantastic looking frogs and really enjoyed the evening. Well recommended.

Hazel Furlong

Have you been Out and About? Tell us about it [email protected]

Esker Brownies all smiles after completing nature bingo and a walk for their last meeting before the summer…

Page 22 Trefoil News September 2015

OUT AND ABOUT

Stitch’s Teddy Bears’ Picnic in Edenderry Stitch went to visit the Edenderry Ladybirds during the Summer and has a wonderful time at their Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Edenderry Ladybirds even had a cake made by one of their Leaders, Laura McKeon, to welcome Stitch to Edenderry. The Ladybirds pitched their tents, spread out their picnic blankets and each of them brought a teddy bear with them to meet Stitch. They played " Ready Teddy GO!", "Teddy-back race", sang and danced to "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear,Tip the Ground" , and sat in the sunshine sharing their picnic treats and singing the "Teddy Bears’ Picnic" song. All the Ladybirds got their photo taken with Stitch. And as an extra surprise Stitch handed out a Stitch badge to all the girls, they were delighted.Stitch is always very welcome in Edenderry !

Sonas Ladybirds Barna meeting the Leprechaun from the Ladybird Story on the night of their enrolment. Leprechaun is none other than brilliant Ballybrack Brownies Young Leader/ Senior Brancher Aoife Colfer. and Author Sarah Webb discussing writing techniques and sharing stories & questions in the new Lexicon Centre in Dun Laoghaire, followed by a wonderful tour of the library. Naomh Bhuithe Brownies just completed their disability awareness badge. Congratulations

They learnt how to use a wheelchair safely and how not to get frustrated with people who are hard of hearing and a lady came in to teach them some sign language. They also went to Dunleer in wheelchairs to explore how easy/hard it was to get around. They wore their hi-vis vests which were given to them by RAC when they completed their road safety badge. They navigated around the whole village including shops and restaurants and it was a great experience.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 23

OUT AND ABOUT

Celbridge Ladybird Unit celebrates it's 25th Birthday this year. To commemorate this achievement we had a birthday badge design competition which was won by Divine. Divine's design was made into a button badge for all to wear. We also designed and made 25th Birthday Bags which will be put to good use bringing crafts, activities, drinks etc. to and from our Ladybird meetings.

We had a Cup Cake Birthday Party and "worked off" the sugar in all of our usual energetic ways.

We would like to send best wishes to all Ladybird Leaders, past and present, who have brought the Celbridge Ladybird Unit to this fantastic quarter of a century milestone. We would also like to thank all the parents who have supported the Unit over the years.

But most of all we would like to thank 25 years of Ladybirds for their participation, enthusiasm, fun, energy and overall BRILLIANCE!!!!

Barbara, Louise and Claire Rathgar Brownies raise €900 for LauraLynn by skipping! Thanks to Joanna Pearman for sending in this new song Rathgar Brownies raised a staggering €900 for LauraLynn Children’s Hospice from West and Central by taking part in Irish Girl Guides’ National Skipathon. The 30 girls came up Midlands Regional Camp with the idea earlier this year. They asked LauraLynn to send them sponsorship cards and were delighted to receive balloons and fun tattoos in Josephina! the post too! (To the tune of Joseph’s Coat, Joseph &

Brownie Leader Katherine Moore said: “As a Leader I'm very proud of all the his technicolour dreamcoat!) Zion Brownies for thinking of others before themselves, which is part of the Josephina was a Guide Brownie Guide Law, and for raising so much money for a really worthy cause.” She had travelled far and wide

The girls had great fun taking part in the And she wore a coat of many badges, Skipathon and they enjoyed their trip to Lots of pretty, brightly coloured badges; the LauraLynn hospice to present the How she loved her coat of many badges cheque. They received a tour of the Lots of pretty, brightly coloured badges; hospice and heard the story of its She had:…. foundation. They were delighted to Go round the circle each Guide calling out receive LauraLynn bookmarks to bring a badge name & doing actions for the home with them. badge until you run out!

“We did the fundraiser as we wanted to She looked handsome raise money for the sibling camps that She looked smart LauraLynn run for the brothers and She’s a walking work of art sisters of the children in the hospice,” Such a dazzling coat of many badges said Kate Black (age 10). Lots of pretty, brightly coloured badges! Repeat ad nauseam “We raised €900 from sponsorship from friends and family, which helped to raise awareness for the work that LauraLynn does,” said Aoife Ní Chonghaile (age 10).

Page 24 Trefoil News September 2015

LADYBIRDS

Dear Leaders,

This is often the time of year when we welcome new Ladybirds into our Units. A fun way for girls and Leaders to get to know each other and re-introduce some of the girls who may not have seen each other during the summer break is to play lots of games together. It is always nice to give Ladybirds a sticker with a Ladybird on for the first meeting. (These can be bought from the Distribution Centre).

Welcome back to the new Guiding year, Ladybird Branch

UNIT SETUP - TIPS AND TRICKS FOR LEADERS

Name Tags • Print out the required number of rainbow templates for all the girls in the Unit. Get the girls to colour the rainbow and write their names on them • Pin or tape onto uniform (or punch a hole in the top and thread a string through to wear around their necks) • Ask all girls to wear for a few weeks until all Leaders are familiar with their names

Ladybird Bag The girls can store their uniform in these. You will need: Plain canvas bags, iron on transfers, fabric markers, crayons or paints, iron and ironing board. (The pictures for the transfers can be obtained by downloading and printing one of the many images from Ladybird garden section of IGG website.) What to do: Print onto transfer paper and iron onto a plain canvas bag. The girls can decorate using fabric markers, crayons or paints (Fix with iron as per manufacturer’s instructions).

Helper” or “It” Bag A “Helper” or “It” Bag will ensure that every girl gets her turn to assist the Leaders and that responsibilities are divided fairly in the Unit. Use it to pick one or two girls to help the Leaders every week. They can lay out the Ladybird garden and crock of gold, collect subs, hand out craft materials/books or carry out any other tasks that might be required for the smooth running of meetings.

If you are not handy with a sewing machine find someone who is (grannies are always a good place to start the search!!!!). Make a two compartment bag from fun patterned fabric. Label compartments 1 and 2. Put the names of all the girls in the Unit into section 1. Each week select a name from compartment 1 to be the helper and then put name into section 2 to ensure she cannot be picked again until every name has been used once.

Sit-Upon Ladybirds begins the girls’ Guiding adventures in the out-of-doors so make a sit-upon with the Ladybirds and then use it for all their outdoor events.

Take one or two broadsheet newspapers, fold in half and cover in plastic (e.g. black bag) and tape to keep papers in place. Add pretty pictures/stickers for a bit of bling!!!!

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 25

LADYBIRDS Ice Breakers My Favourite You will need: A piece of paper divided into four sections for each girl, colouring pens and pencils What to do: Ask the girls to draw, one in each section, their favourite toy, food, person and animal. When they have finished, sit the Ladybirds in a circle with all the pictures in the centre. Can they guess whose is whose?

Balloon Batting Game Tell the girls that you only have two balloons and are going to have to figure out a way for all of you to share them. Start with a really short conversation about how a Ladybird will always make sure everyone is included in the game whenever she plays with her friends. Making sure everyone gets a turn and is included is an important part of learning to share. The Ladybirds stand in a circle and spread out as much as possible. Each of two balloons starts at a different part of the circle. The girls bat the balloons to the next girl with their hand, making sure not to skip anyone. The girl who's receiving the balloon catches it with her hands and returns to her spot (in case she had to move to catch the balloon) and then bats it to the next girl in line. Continue until you think the girls understand the concept.

CARING AND SHARING Smarties Share Split the girls into teams of two. Package the Smarties in a plastic bag (with even numbers of the different colours in case the girls want to split each colour individually). Give each pair a bag of Smarties and send them off to a corner to decide how best to "share the Smarties". The Leaders watch while they decide how best to share the Smarties -- suggesting or intervening where necessary. The only rule is that NO ONE CAN START EATING until everyone is happy. Biscuit Share Sit Ladybirds in a circle. Pass around a bag containing a selection of “nice” biscuits from one to another. When all the girls have picked one ask them to pass their biscuit to the girl on right or left. Now they can eat their neighbour’s biscuit. Bracelet Share Make a bracelet of beads with the girls. Put all the names into a bowl and get each girl to pick a name. Each girl then gives her bracelet to the girl whose name she picked. Ladybird Crown Craft Rainbow Candle Craft

You will need: red and black This cardboard candle is nice and colourful and quite card, 2 black pipe cleaners, easy to make. Make enough of them and you may pencil, scissors, tape and glue. even attract a Leprechaun or two! • Cut 4 hearts from black or red card( these are to put at You will need: kitchen roll paper tube, the top of the pipe cleaners) scissors, crayons, paper (rainbow • Cut a 10cm wide strip of red paper), and glue. card long enough to wrap around the girl’s head • Copy template (on next page) • Cut circles from the black card and glue onto the strip of • Colour and cut out the template red card pieces • Tape the ends together to form a crown • Cover the cardboard tube with • Wrap the pipe cleaners around a pencil to make a “spring” coloured paper with it • Glue the flame onto the top of the • Tape a heart onto the top of a pipe cleaner and tape cardboard tube to make the candle another one so that the pipe cleaner is sandwiched • Tape the candle to the circle ("doily") between two hearts. Repeat for the 2nd pipe cleaner • Glue on the pots of gold to decorate • Tape both pipe cleaners so that they sit at opposite sides the candle or doily as desired of the head

Page 26 Trefoil News September 2015

LADYBIRDS

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 27

LADYBIRDS Outdoor Parachute Games The following section was inserted as we have received CATHEDRAL numerous requests from Leaders. A parachute never fails to Everyone lowers the parachute and on the count of three entertain the Ladybirds. Some Units have used it in the St raise their arms high. Once the parachute is held high Patrick’s Day parade to inject colour. everyone takes three or four giant steps towards the centre TIP: Laminate these games and put with your parachute. and pulls the parachute behind them and sits down with their bottoms on the edge of the parachute. Start rocking SHAKING THE RUG & MAKING WAVES altogether left/right/forward/backward. All stand around the parachute and raise and lower the parachute and the material billows up and down like waves. POPCORN Waves can be small, medium or large. Girls can alternate Place small balls or beanbags on the parachute and shake turns to see who can make the best waves. them to make them rise like popcorn.

MEXICAN WAVE FUN UNDER THE SHUTE One girl starts by raising and lowering their arms. This action Grasp the edge of the parachute with an overhand grip and is repeated around the circle to create a wave. inflate. Bean bags, skipping ropes, balls have been placed under the parachute. Number each participant. When a MERRY GO ROUND number is called those with that number run under the chute Each girl holds the parachute in one hand and walks, hops, and perform before the parachute deflates. skips or jumps around holding the parachute. It looks like a merry-go-round. FLYING SAUCER Grasp the edge of the parachute with CHANGE AROUND an overhand grip and inflate. Take one The Leader numbers the group step forward once the parachute is from 1-4 around the parachute. inflated. When the command ‘let go’ is She then calls a number and given, everyone releases the everybody with that number parachute. It should remain suspended swaps places under the in the air for a few seconds before it parachute before it falls down. floats to the ground like a flying saucer. You can also use colours or birthday months…..

LADYBIRD COLLAGE COMPETITION

This is a fantastic opportunity to show girls team work. The theme is Autumn and the materials used must be recycled and/or have a natural element to them. ♦ 1 entry per Unit on A2 card (Non-returnable) ♦ Judge’s decision final and no correspondences will be entered into ♦ Entries not accepted without the following application form Closing date: Oct 21st 2015

Send collage and completed application form to: Ladybird Collage Competition, c/o Chloe O’Reilly, 261 The Oaks, Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

LADYBIRD AUTUMN COLLAGE COMPETITION APPLICATION FORM

Ladybird Unit Name: ______Ladybird Unit Leader Name:______

Contact Address: ______

______

Contact Number: ______

Page 28 Trefoil News September 2015

Brownies

Welcome back everyone. We hope you enjoyed your summer break and you are now ready to face the fun and challenges of the year ahead. What an exciting time we have in store with our new Journey Programme. Hope you have lots of fun detecting, investigating and exploring!!!

Brownie Branch Start of Year Games

Get to Know You Bingo M&M’s Get to Know You Game

Equipment Needed: Equipment Needed: One bingo sheet per girl One share size bag of M&M’s (or maybe more than one bag!!) (see page 30 for bingo Instructions: sheet) • One pencil per girl Open bag of M&M’s • Pass bag around the circle. Each colour represents a Instructions: different question • Give each girl a • The girls pick out one M&M at a time, without looking. bingo sheet and They respond to the statement that corresponds to the pencil colour they have picked out • The girls ask each other the questions in each square Red - on the sheet • They write the name or initial for the girl who answers Something about yesterday yes to the question in the box Orange - • They may only use the same name twice in the game Something you do well • The first person with a full sheet wins Yellow -

Something about when you were younger Blue - Get to Know You Ball Game Something you learned last week Equipment Needed: Brown - One plastic coloured ball (available in any Euro shop) Something you can’t live without Green - Instructions: In advance of meeting, cover A TV programme you like to watch the ball with questions, written in permanent marker so as not to rub off. At meeting, girls throw the ball to each other and whichever question is facing them is the question they answer, before throwing it to the next girl in the circle

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 29

Brownies Getting to know you bingo card

Have you been in Have you Have you green Have you 2 Have you no Ladybirds? travelled outside eyes? sisters? sisters? Ireland?

Is your favourite Have you red Have you no Is your birthday Do you dislike colour yellow? hair? pets? in September? pizza?

Is your favourite Do you love to Do you like Do you dislike Do you like to vegetable sing? cheese? chocolate? draw? broccoli?

Do you like Are you the Are you the Would you like to Do you like swimming? eldest in your youngest in your go camping? Minnie Mouse? family? family?

Are you Are you Are you more Do you have a Are you allergic 9 years old? 8 years old? than 10 years dog? to cats? old? (Ask the Leaders!!)

FIRST PERSON TO FILL THE SHEET – BINGO!

You can only use the same person’s name twice. Good luck!!

Page 30 Trefoil News September 2015

Brownies Badge Focus:

THIS INTEREST BADGE IS PART OF THE Brownie Healthy Friendship JOURNEY PROGRAMME. THE START OF THE YEAR IS A NICE TIME TO LOOK 1. Examine how people can care for one other. AT THIS FRIENDSHIP BADGE. HELP THE 2. Recognise and appreciate differences in GIRLS IN YOUR UNIT TO GET TO KNOW others, and identify ways to treat people with ONE ANOTHER AND EARN THEIR FIRST respect. JOUNREY PROGRAMME INTEREST 3. Discuss how we can show good teamwork, BADGE TOGETHER. show examples of sharing, taking turns and Encourage them compromise. to think about how they can include everyone on the sheet and work as a 4. Discuss ways of including everybody in Brownies team and how we can ensure no one is left out. 5. Identify qualities of a good friend. Tip: Brownies may have to hold each other or stand on one foot to include everyone. Allow them to figure it out.

Good Evening Friend Brownie You can use some of the great games from the Outreach To start, all the Brownies should be in a circle. Pairs should Pack to help you complete this badge syllabus…. face each other around the circle, so half the girls are facing clockwise and half anti-clockwise. Me Too! You could also try the

Good evening friend Brownie Materials: A chair for each girl Four Corners acƟvity (Salute and shake left hands) What to do: on pg. 66 of the Out- reach Pack. How are you this evening? • Sit on chairs in a circle. Ask the girls to Let’s dance in a circle think of something that is unique to them, (Link arms and circle each other) something they think that only they can do, know, And bow and pass on. have done or will do – e.g. been to Spain three times. If (Bow to your partner and move around the circle) this is true for one of them, she will say, “I have been to Spain three times!”, and another girl who has also been to The song can be sung as many times as necessary to get Spain three times will jump up and say “Me too!” back to your original partner. Everyone should have danced • Then they sit down again and the first girl must try to find with half the Brownies by the end of the process. something else that is unique. When nobody else can If there are an odd number of people, either one of the share what is unique, you move on to the next girl Leaders sits out, or you can make it into a game. The leftover • The first round ends when all the girls have said Brownie starts in the middle of the circle. When people are something about themselves that is unique only to them in passing on, she has to try to steal someone’s partner by being this group faster than them. The Brownie whose partner was stolen then • The next step is to ask everyone to think of something that goes into the middle for the next round of the song. they believe they share with all the others. Remove one chair and ask the girl whose turn it is to stand in the We All Belong middle. When she starts and says, for example, “I am a This activity will help the Brownies to develop a sense of member of the Irish Girl Guides”, then everyone who connection to others and understand the power of teamwork. agrees jumps up and says “Me too!” and the girl in the They will learn that in order to succeed and win, everyone middle tries to grab a chair. Then a new girl goes to stand needs to work together and take care of one other. in the middle • Debriefing and Evaluation: When everyone has said Materials: A flat bed sheet per Six something which all in the group share, or when you think

What to do: the game has gone on long enough, the Leader stops it to • Lay the bed sheet flat on the floor, and have the Brownies go through the questions below: What was the easiest - stand on the sheet together. finding something unique or something you share with • Explain to them that they have to fold the sheet in half others? What do you generally like best - feeling unique or together without anyone stepping off the sheet sharing things with others? What you thought was unique; did you share it with others after all? Are there things • Then they must continue to fold the sheet in half as many common to all Brownies and Guides? Can any of these times as possible while keeping everyone on the sheet things make others feel left out?

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 31

Brownies Getting to Know You Crafts

Name Rainbow

Materials Needed: 6 different coloured cards, enough to give one strip of each colour to each girl White paper or card Coloured markers or pens Sellotape Scissors

Instructions: • Put the name of each girl into a bowl and get each girl to pull a name other than her own • Each girl gets 5 coloured strips of paper and a white piece of paper • Each girl then writes 5 nice things on each strip of paper about the girl whose name she pulls out • Once each strip has been written on, they sellotape the strips onto the cloud which they have cut out of the white piece of paper and written the name of their person on • They can be stuck on the wall in your meeting hall and are a nice reminder of the positive attributes each girl brings to your Unit

Variation: For older Brownies it might be nice to add an extra layer to the craft. They must think of a nice attribute beginning with every letter of the girl’s name and add that many pieces of card onto the cloud. See above example of Teresa— Talented , Energetic, Radiant, Elegant, Smart, Artistic. If you decide to do the craft like this — Leaders will need to help Brownies come up with words for every letter as they might get stuck!

Whooo am I?.....I am a Brownie

Materials Needed: Owl body, wings and feet templates (Available on the IGG website — http://tinyurl.com/TNOWL ) Brown, orange and white card Scissors Glue 2 split pins per girl Markers/crayons Photo of each girl (optional)

Instructions: • Print owl body and wings templates onto brown card • Print feet and beak templates on orange card • Cut out circles on white card and circles on black card to make the eyes • Each girl cuts out their templates and sticks them together • The wings are attached with split pin so they can open and close to reveal the Brownie’s photograph in the middle if you choose to do this • Alternatively put a heart in the main body part and write the girl’s name on it • They can write things about themselves on the wings of their owl

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GUIDES Dear Leaders,

We hope you had a great Summer and are coming back to Guides refreshed and excited for a new year. Guide Branch want to help you get started with the exciting new programme so this month we are looking at activities for the Pathfinders. We also have some important clarifications about the Trailblazer and Gold Awards— please read page 37 carefully as it might apply to your Unit and Gold Award Guides.

Guide Branch

Becoming a Guide: No 2: Learn and understand the Guide Law so that you try to do your best to keep it. No 4: Take part in an activity to show you understand the Promise and Law

THE PROMISE & LAW

The fundamental Principles of Guiding are those of the Girl Guide/Girl Scout Movement as expressed in the original Promise and Law laid down by the Founder, Lord Baden-Powell. Every girl makes a Promise on becoming a Guide. Guides all over the world make that same Promise. Living up to the Promise is not easy. It is a real challenge. Before making her Promise the new Guide should be helped to understand it and the challenge she has taken on.

The Promise: I promise on my honour to do my best, to do my duty to my God* and my Country, to help other people at all times, and to obey the Guide Law. *The word “God” may be replaced by the word “faith” according to one’s spiritual beliefs.

The Law:

1. A Guide is honest and reliable. 2. A Guide is loyal. 3. A Guide is useful and helps others. 4. A Guide is a friend to all and a sister to every other Guide. 5. A Guide is polite and considerate. 6. A Guide care for all living things and their environment. 7. A Guide is responsible and respects authority. 8. A Guide has courage and is cheerful in difficulties. 9. A Guide makes good use of time, talents and materials. 10. A Guide respects herself and others in all she thinks, says and does.

Teaching the Promise and Law involves more than having the Guides memorise the words. The emphasis should be on teaching for understanding. However, it is also necessary to spend time helping the girls learn the words. This is best done through games and activities that are fun, challenging and, whenever possible, active.

Leaders must continue to help their Guides to explore the meaning of the Promise and Law in terms they can understand. As the girls mature, their ability to comprehend the concepts increases. We must remember to include Promise and Law activities throughout the year, every year, to take advantage of all learning opportunities. As all of us in Guiding know, games and activities are one way to make the learning fun. Page 34 will provide lots of fun ideas for learning the Promise & Law.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 33 GUIDES NEWSPAPER SEARCH STOP AND THINK GAME

Materials: Recent newspapers for each Patrol. Sheet of A3 paper & glue. You will need the Dilemma Cards (examples shown below.) Let the Guides sit What to do: in a circle and each should get a card. Give each Patrol Leader materials and ask her, with her Patrol, to make a If young Guides they could work in pairs. poster with pictures/articles to fit specific parts of the Promise such as: After an agreed amount of time to discuss – • Someone doing their best they should say what they would do in • Someone doing their duty to their God each situation and which Guide • Someone doing their duty to their country Law it challenges. • Someone doing a good deed • Someone doing some parts of the Guide Law (decide how many Laws) You promised your mother you would After an agreed length of time, ask the Patrols to report back to the Unit about do the washing up while she was at the their findings. supermarket. She will be back in ten

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS minutes but you are watching your favourite TV programme. At the beginning of the Guiding year or New Year give each girl a postcard or piece of paper. Ask her to write one goal she is going to try to achieve as it relates to the Promise and Law. Have her fold her goal, seal it with a bit of You have decided that recycling tape, write her name on it and give it to you. At the end of the Guide year, (or is a waste of time. more regularly if you wish) hand each Guide her paper and allow her time to reflect on whether she achieved the goal she wrote down. You were to meet your friends after LAW MIMES / CHARADES school but you decide not to turn up for the meeting Materials: 10 cards with one Guide Law written on each.

What to do: You have broken your leg and decide to Place the cards upside down on a table and ask a representative from each moan and cry all day. Patrol to choose a card. Their Patrol members then have to prepare a mime representing the law chosen. After an agreed amount of time to prepare, each Patrol performs their mime and the other Patrols must guess which Guide Law is being represented. You have been best friends with Mary for seven years. A girl in your LAW CANDLES class mocks her and you join in with the mocking. Materials: 10 different colour candles, set of colour cards for Patrols (same colours as the candles)

What to do: You decide to drop your litter on the • Each Patrol is given a set of colour cards. They are challenged to pick one road when no-one is looking. colour to represent each Law • After an agreed amount of time a Leader calls out each Law and each Patrol discloses their colour choice. After a little discussion a compromise Your Patrol is looking for someone to is decided and the candle is lit design a poster. You are an excellent • These candles can be used at enrolment ceremonies artist, but you decide not to volunteer.

LAW COLLAGE Materials: Notebook per Patrol. Old magazines/newspapers, scissors and You decide to experiment with glue. cigarettes and alcohol… What to do: • Ask each Patrol to write the ten Guide Laws into their note book – one A girl in your class is being bullied. per page. Then look through the magazines/newspapers and choose a picture that they feel represents each of the Guide Laws Your teacher asks you about it and • Glue picture into their notebook under the relevant law you pretend that you know nothing • Each Patrol should then explain their thoughts with the other Patrols about it.

Page 34 Trefoil News September 2015

GUIDES Now you’re a Guide: No 6: Take part in activities that use your 5 Senses

Sight Aim - Show how two eyes help you better judge where objects are. Needed: Five cents, small paper cup or rinsed-out yogurt cup, somewhere the Guides can sit in pairs

• Partner the Guides up. Put a cup in front of one half of each pair. It should be about 2 feet away from the Guides. Ask one Guide to close one eye and sit and stare at the cup Taste • The other Guide should hold one of the pennies in the air Aim - Why you need saliva to taste foods. In order for food to have about 18 inches above the cup. Move it around slowly taste, chemicals from the food must first dissolve in saliva. Once • Have the other Guide say that she’ll drop the penny dissolved, the chemicals can be detected by receptors on taste whenever the observing Guide says "Drop it!" The idea is buds. for the Guide — with one eye closed — to judge when the Needed: Paper towels, foods to taste (biscuits, crackers, pretzels, penny is over the cup so the penny will drop into the cup or other dry food), Drinking water for everyone • Give the Guide five tries with one eye closed, then five tries with both eyes open. Which way worked best? • Use a clean paper towel to dry off your tongue • Taste each food, one by one. How does it taste? Aim - Show how two eyes give you more depth perception, which • Have a drink of water is the ability to judge how near or far objects are. • Taste each food again, letting your saliva do its magic! Needed: Two pencils

• Have the girls hold a pencil lengthwise (on its side) in each Touch hand Aim - How areas of your skin contain different numbers of touch • Now, with one eye closed, ask them to try to touch the receptors. Some body areas are more sensitive than others. blunt ends together. Did they miss? Needed: Blindfold, tennis ball, rock, sponge, pine cone, seashell, eraser, marble, etc. • Now, try it with both eyes open. Voila! Two eyes give you • Have each Guide put on a blindfold or just close their eyes better depth perception • Gently press each item to the skin on different areas of the body. Can they identify the object? Hearing Aim - Show how the eardrum works Here are lists of the most-sensitive and least-sensitive parts of the Needed: A large bowl or pot, cling film, 20-30 grains of uncooked body. rice, a baking tray Most-sensitive: Fingers, upper lip, cheek, palm, forehead, foot • To make a model of the eardrum, stretch a piece of plastic Least-sensitive: Belly, upper arm, back, shoulder, thigh, calf wrap over your bowl or pot. Make sure the wrap is on tight. The plastic wrap represents the eardrum Smell • Place about 20-30 grains of uncooked rice on the top of the Aim - To test the Guides’ sense of smell and ability to identify plastic wrap • objects by smell alone Now you need some noise. Hold the baking tray close to Needed: Blindfold, pots with smelly objects—some can be food. the plastic wrap. Hit the baking tray to create a "big bang" You could also include nail polish remover, cleaning products, fire noise and watch the rice grains jump. Now you know how lighters, objects with distinctive smells but be careful when sound causes your eardrum to vibrate, sending messages choosing as some things are harmful to inhale for long periods. to your brain about the sounds you're hearing!

• Have each Guide put on a blindfold or just close their eyes

• Pass the pots with the smelly objects around and ask each

Guide to write down what she thinks she is smelling. You

can compare answers at the end

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 35 GUIDES Now you’re a Guide: 2. Anastasia No 7: Play a Stalking Game with your Patrol Aim: Give a drink to the

Queen 1. Barnyard Bedlam Formation: The whole Unit You will need: Peanuts in the shell (enough for a handful for should be divided in 2. Half each girl, doubled or so), lunch bags or similar container are guards, half are rescuers IMPORTANT: Check for peanut allergies — you could use some other small food item if need be! Materials: Queen sitting in the woods, cups (plastic Preparation: Use a large field or lightly wooded area (where mugs) for each rescuer, you can still see all the girls). Shortly before game time, when buckets of water at different the girls aren't around and when they won't be coming back to parts of your terrain. that spot, have a Leader distribute little piles of three or so peanuts in obvious and not obvious spots around the field -- at Explanation: the base of tree, on top of a stump, in the shadow of a rock -- • Guards are posted etc. Make lots of piles if you want a long fun loud game! around the Queen at least 4 metres away from her. Their objective - tip the water out of the rescuers cups. Before Playing: Away from the site, divide the girls into two • The rescuers get water from a bucket and first try and or three groups. Make someone in each group the Farmer, find the Queen AND then try to get past the guards and the rest in each group choose an animal to be (farm, and offer their cups of water to her forest, bird, whatever theme you've chosen). Each group must • When (if?) their cups get tipped by the guards they have a different animal. Each group practises making their must go back to a bucket and refill. If they succeed - animal's sound. groups are switched. Guards are rescuers and rescuers are guards. Explain the rules: They cannot go out of bounds for safety reasons. (Show them the boundaries, don't just tell them.) On Note: GIRLS WILL GET WET (guaranteed). Good for a hot "go", the animals (not farmers) from all groups will spread out day but not necessarily. Make sure you have some towels and and look for peanuts hidden around. They cannot talk at any paper towel on hand. time!!! (for reasons explained below) Once an animal finds a hoard of peanuts, she does not touch them or talk about them. She stands with her toes pointing toward the peanuts and makes her animal's noise *AS LOUD AS SHE CAN*!

The farmer has to listen for her animals' noises. She hustles over to her animal (there's often more than one at once!) and picks up the peanuts.

The "Bedlam" part comes in because: 1. There are girls everywhere making loud noises (strategy is for teams to split up so there could/should be 3 horses in different spots neighing!) 2. If a horse sees a pile and is neighing, a cow can run over and start mooing: whichever Farmer hears first and gets over, gets the peanuts. The Farmers have to listen well, and judge which pile to pick up first.

Playing: Bring the girls to the site, and turn them loose! You don't have to have winners if you don't want, but the girls do! If you play it a few times over the day, with only a few piles each time, the different teams have a chance to win.

Page 36 Trefoil News September 2015

GUIDES Guide Journey Programme Clarification

Please note that there are changes to the Guide Journey programme as described in the Travel Guide and Journey Planner. Please make the necessary corrections to p.23 and 41 of the Leader Travel Guide and p. 11 and 89 of the Guide Journey Planner.

The Trail Blazer is the fourth year badge and is a cloth badge similar to the Pathfinder, Innovator and Voyager badges. To achieve a Trail Blazer year badge, a Guide must complete the 12 compulsory challenges and 6 choice challenges and 3 new Interest badges. These are all provided in the resources.

The National Guide Award Pin is a separate award which is only presented nationally once a year by Guide Branch committee. It is a gold pin and certificate with the words Trail Blazer written on it.

To achieve the National Guide Award Pin, a girl must complete the Voyager, Innovator and Trail Blazer year badges in full. She must be over 13 years and 9 months and have completed the work before her 15th birthday.

We have put in the upper age limit so that a girl who joins late, could continue to work on these requirements in Guides to complete the year badges she missed depending on her age of joining or if she missed time due to illness or other reasons.

GOLD AWARDS FOR SEPTEMBER 2015 AND BEYOND ….

Later this year (2015) - Gold Awards will be presented to those who completed the old programme in full and have submitted the relevant paperwork to Guide Branch by October 27th.

2015 IS THE LAST YEAR OF THE CURRENT GOLD AWARD BEING AVAILABLE SO NO GIRL SHOULD BE STARTING GOLD AWARD THIS SEPTEMBER. THE BADGES WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE.

In 2016, the National Guide Award Pin will be presented to those who completed Spruce, Copper Beech, Silver Birch and Trail Blazer (i.e. started Trail Blazer in Sept. 2015).

In 2017, it will be the National Guide Award Pin for those who completed Spruce, Copper Beech, Innovator and Trail Blazer (i.e. started Innovator in Sept. 2015).

In 2018, the National Guide Award Pin will be presented to those who completed Spruce, Voyager, Innovator and Trail Blazer (i.e. started Voyager in Sept. 2015).

And in 2019 , it will be the National Guide Award Pin for girls who have completed the entire new Guide Journey programme.

OGM – ONLINE GUIDE MANAGER

From 1st September, the old IGG programme will remain visible on OGM but we cannot award any aspects of it. You will instead be able to award any of the aspects of the Journey programme. The exception to this is for the Gold Award in Guide Branch. Leaders may complete the relevant sections of the Gold Award up until the end of November of this year, to allow for the girls to achieve this Award. After this, the old programme will not be active on OGM.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 37

SENIOR BRANCH

Hi Everyone,

This September is an extremely exciting one for Senior Branch. We are delighted to have launched our Journey programme. We look forward to hearing all about the great adventures our Senior Branchers get up to this term. Senior Branch Weekend Senior Branchers you can buy your copy of the Senior th th Branch Travel Journal at any of the Distribution Centres or When: 27 —29 November online for €10. You will also find the details of the Where: Killarney programme on OGM so you can get started straight away. How much: 60 euro

We also had a very successful Senior Branch Leaders’ Who: SB members 16 + Training in June. It was fantastic to see so many Leaders (or if you’ve been an SB member for the – over 60 – in Newgrange for the weekend. past year you can also attend) If you have any questions about the Journey programme or We will open for registration soon so keep an eye on the way you organise your Unit, please email us at the SB Facebook page for the booking link. [email protected]

Registration will open soon for the November Weekend, so YOU DON’T WANT TO keep an eye out on Facebook and in the weekly email for MISS THIS WEEKEND!

details. It is being held in Killarney and will be for girls who Come and celebrate the have been in Senior Branch for the past year or are over Journey Programme with us. 16. IT’S GOING TO BE A HUGE PARTY Jenny AND YOU’RE INVITED!

SENIOR BRANCH LEADERS - ARE YOU HOPING TO GET YOUR SENIOR BRANCH UNIT OFF TO A FLYING START THIS SEPTEMBER?

Here are some recommendations to help you set yourself up for a successful year in Senior Branch.

GET YOUR GIRLS TO PLAN THEIR FIRST TERM OF MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES. ♦ What pathway are they going to choose? ♦ What activities can you all complete as a Unit? ♦ Will you visit one of the other Units in your District to help them complete an interest badge?

PLAN YOUR PARENTS’ MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER OR EARLY OCTOBER, THE AGENDA FOR WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE ♦ The differences between Guides and Senior Branch ♦ The Parents’ Information Leaflet ♦ Personal Registration form ♦ Adequate supervision – what is it? What are your parents comfortable with? ♦ Meetings and where/when they will take place ♦ Events coming up – November Weekend for those members already SB members last year and those who are over 18, Regional Hiking Weekend in the Spring, Roverway 2016, Chief Commissioner’s Award 2016, International Camp 2017 – to name but a few! ♦ Introduce the members of your Unit to parents ♦ Independent travel to events & Leaders who run the events

REGISTER ONLINE WITH GAISCE SO THAT ALL OF YOUR GIRLS GET CREDIT FOR THEIR ACTIVITIES.

Page 38 Trefoil News September 2015

SENIOR BRANCH Explorer Belt Steinheid — conveniently near a big town map so we could figure out what town we were in. We took our pack which included the expedition rules, our budgets, our very important map and our list of projects. The first thing we did was sit for an hour and a half and study the projects and map to try to plan a route. We had been dropped about 30/40km from one of the compulsory projects - the fortress in Kronach. We could see from the circles we had made on our map that the compulsory projects, Kronach in the South, Deutch-Deutches Museum in the East, and Feengrotten (Fairy Caves) in the North combined with our ending point of Paulinzella Monastery would help dictate our route which was mostly in an arc. When we had figured this out we started walking towards Kronach. The Explorer Belt began on Monday 3rd of August when we went At the same time, that we were doing this, we would later learn to the airport to find out our destination but it had really begun that Team B — Emma Harvey and Grace Cronin had been nearly 12 months previously when we decided to sign up for it. It dropped at the Feengrotten (Fairy Caves) near Saalfeld in the was a mad decision and a huge undertaking and one that right up North. They managed to complete their first compulsory project on until the very end I was never quite sure we’d be able for. You will Day 1 and then started walking—pretty much following a similar always have your doubts and anything could happen or go wrong! arc to us but in reverse. On top of that I have never done the Chief Commissioner’s Award or anything like it and I was the only participant going on the On Day 1 we walked till we reached a town called Sonneberg and Explorer Belt this year without that kind of experience then learned lesson one of our Explorer Belt, don’t walk too far into the big towns… Sonneberg when we first reached it had houses When we signed up it was more than a year away and it felt like with gardens and green space then we walked further and all the you had a very long time to prepare - as we got into the final four houses became town houses built onto one another and weeks the nerves really kicked in. You hope that you’ve prepared/ apartments and shops. We ended up luckily finding a spot in the trained enough for the physical element of it and the continuous garden of an apartment block, but in an apartment block like that walking but really you don't know how your body will react when only one person can give you permission and that was okay that you do that level of exercise every day for 10 days in a row. At no night. However, the following morning somebody from a different point during the year could we take 10 days off work/life to do a apartment was telling us that the garden was private property so complete practice hike so you just cross your fingers and hope for lesson number one — camp outside big towns. the best! Lesson number two was learnt on Day 2 when we tried to get out Arriving at Dublin airport on Monday the 3rd we still had no idea of Sonneberg — this took us nearly the whole morning. The map where we would be going. Having been told to meet in Terminal 2 you have for the Explorer Belt is on a large scale so you can travel at 9am the teams scoured the departures information in an attempt such a long distance — it’s easy to follow for the way marked ways to figure out their destination. We had also been given an and roads and everything outside cities but within a city it gives indication of the weather the previous week (and it was very hot!) you no real help with roads so lesson number two - in larger cities and by combining these facts we had mostly come to the find a tourist office and get a large scale city street map. We did conclusion that we were going to Portugal. However, Lorna this in any big town that we reached after Sonneberg and it worked Finnegan, Explorer Belt organiser is extra sneaky and was not really well. about to give up her secret so easily... the teams were actually departing from Terminal 1! So all the departure boards we’d read Day 2 was mostly walking, in fact most of the days were mostly were of no use to us and we were actually heading to - an walking… A very general day by day diary of the Explorer Belt UNUSUALLY hot - Germany! would go something like — woke up, ate porridge, took down tent, The remainder of Monday was spent travelling to the heart of our walked, got much too warm at 12 o’clock, stopped for three hours, destination in the Thuringia Region of Germany. The teams spent wrote log books and project their first night in Schwarzburg Youth Hostel - our last night in a books, ate lunch, walked again bed for the next 10 days. On the morning of Day 1, Lorna from 4 till 8, put up tent, made completed a gear check to make sure we had everything we dinner…. But that doesn't quite needed and nothing too silly/heavy that we shouldn't be carrying. capture all the fun things and After breakfast it was time to load up the cars and head for drop off challenging things that happen points unknown! in between. All the bits that it’s too hard to put down in words. Jenny Gannon dropped Jemma Lee and me in a town called

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 39

SENIOR BRANCH Explorer Belt You meet fantastic people and see great things. People can be so that moment and finding it equally hard but equally wonderful. kind and helpful as well. It was something that was really The second half of the week was mostly punctuated by my mantra reinforced for me during the Explorer Belt. People never refused of “Just Keep Walking” - every step started to feel hard. On Day 9 to give us drinking water even though we were just strange girls we were getting to our third compulsory project the Feengrotten knocking on the door with empty flasks. People were also and they are up at the top of a hill and it was hard to get there and generally very good about letting us camp in their gardens or near it was hard to keep going that afternoon and we really started to their property in a field. Some were exceptionally generous and let feel every step. You would tell your foot to lift up, go in front of the us use their bathrooms, have showers and on Day 5 we even got other foot and go down and that was all you told yourself. And invited to a party in the front garden of the house where we had even at that - every now and again your foot would slip and scuff pitched our tent in the back garden. They shared their stories and along the ground. food and party games with us and it was a real highlight of the 10 days. On Day 8 we knocked on the door of a house that had an On Day 10 we did a straight walk from Bad Blankenberg up to American flag. It had seemed so unusual in a very small German Paulinzella Monastery—we started early to complete it before it village and Jemma assumed if they had an American flag they got hot and we were at the Monastery by 11 where we discovered must speak English so we knocked on the door and discovered a it was also the end point of a pilgrimage in Germany and it felt lovely couple - the wife German, the husband American - who very appropriate… Seeing the wall of Paulinzella rising up on the invited us into their home for those very hot hours from 12 till 3 horizon as we rounded the curve of the hill was so exciting… We and shared lunch and stories of their lives with us. had done it and now we just needed to finish our logs and wait to be collected at 2 pm. Day 3 we had the biggest hiccup of our whole Explorer Belt and we ended up getting lost and being somewhere else entirely on Along the way we had so much to do as well as the walking; you the map to where we thought we would be. We were in a forest, were living on a budget which we very carefully managed and running out of drinking water, getting panicked when a lady came subsequently managed to have a really lovely Day 9 where we by on a tractor and we followed her “Gerade Aus” - Straight Ahead blew the remainder of our budget.; you had 3 compulsory and 9 to the tiniest village of 20 people where - following a few phone optional projects to complete and write up as well as keeping your calls to Lorna and Jenny - we managed to calm down and daily logbook. Some days we managed to write more than others resolved to camp there and start again tomorrow morning even and definitely on no day did we manage to ever write as much though we were 6km away from where we thought we’d stop that again as we did on Day 1 when we were full of enthusiasm and night… But we learnt that you can be lost and end up finding your not really thinking about way back. how much paper we were using for one day’s worth Also every bad day that we had on the Explorer Belt was of activities or how much immediately followed by a brilliant day. We got lost on Day 3 but excruciating detail we were we rocketed ahead on Day 4 and did our highest mileage of the going into about our walk… whole Explorer Belt to get ourselves back on track. We were full of It will be fun to look back determination when we woke up that morning. On Day 7 we were on the log books and staring to feel the pain of all of that walking, we were tired, we project books in years to were emotional and the walking just seemed hard that day. On come and remember Day 8 we met our lovely American/German couple, did great everything we had to do to mileage and managed to fit in a swim in a lake! Every hard day earn these Belts! resulted in a great subsequent day. You just needed to keep your chin up and go at it again. Katherine Ryan

Day 5 was a great day as it marked the mid- way point. At that point you really started to Jemma Lee: I can't believe that it's over, it seemed like such a believe that you’d done more than half of it huge thing to sign up for over a year ago, 180km, 12 projects, 10 and you’d just be throwing away all that days, and yet it all flew by so fast. My feet and legs and walking if you were to quit now! Also at the sometimes my whole body was tired and I thought I might melt in mid-way point we got to meet up with Team the 35 degree sun of a German heatwave, but the people who we B in Blankenstein where a number of the met, my fantastic teammate and the always cheerful staff team hiking trails intersect and where our arcs kept me going along the way. The Explorer Belt is a big challenge, would meet up for one day only. It was but with the right preparation and the right mindset it is certainly lovely to see the other team and exchange possible. To anyone who's thinking about it I would definitely say stories and know that someone was having go for it! Be sure to sign up for the next Chief Commissioner's the same type of experience as you right at Award and start getting ready now.

Page 40 Trefoil News September 2015

International

dessert and main Timpeall an Domhain dish and printed them off. We then stuck junior winning team diary them onto two A3 sheets along with pictures and colourful designs. We all set the display up which looked really well in the Brazilian colours.

Craft: For the competition we were allowed to pick a game or a craft from our chosen country. We picked a craft. One of the girls in our group saw the idea to make traditional Brazilian maracas. The maracas were quite easy to make and they looked really nice when they were finished. So we decided to pick them. All you needed was a 2 litre bottle, pva glue, newspaper, cotton wool, rice, sellotape and paint. One evening in November 2014, Christine our Unit Leader told us that we would be doing a national Guiding Cooking: competition called “Timpeall an Domhain.” We were all very For the Regional final we had to make a dessert. We excited. We were then divided into our teams, there were 6 decided on a traditional Brazilian truffle called Brigadeiro of us from 4 different schools. So we made some new which again was very easy to make and enjoyed by all. For friends along the way. the National final we had to make a main dish. We chose to make a dish called Salpicao which is a very traditional and Teamwork: We had to pick a country , we picked Brazil as signature Brazilian Chicken salad. The team went to my none of us knew anything about this country. We then got house one evening where we all tried out the dish and into pairs and each of us took responsibility for looking up agreed among ourselves who was going to prepare, cook, Guiding facts, crafts, traditions, food and a famous person wash up and serve. We all really enjoyed the evening and from Brazil. found that we all worked very well as a team.

The Play: On the Sunday - the final day of the national competition, We had to pick a famous person from Brazil, and write a play there was a surprise element introduced that the girls weren’t no more than 5 minutes long about something dramatic that aware off. We had to display our knowledge of what we happened in their life. We picked Neymar Da Silva Jnr who learnt from the other displays and plays from a country other loved the game of soccer from a very young age. Neymar is than the one we had chosen for the competition. We chose a well known famous world class soccer player. In the 2014 Japan as it was a country we wouldn’t have known anything world cup Neymar’s performance shined but was cut short about but had learnt loads from the wonderful displays by the before the finals. Minutes before Brazil won their quarter junior and senior teams and the performance of the plays. finals match against Columbia, Neymar was kicked in the We were absolutely stunned and surprised when our team back by one of the Columbian players and he fractured a was announced as the overall winners for the Junior Section vertebra in his spine and was not able to participate in the as every team was amazing in their displays and plays. semi final where Brazil lost to Germany. We wrote the play based on this event and agreed together who was doing We are all so delighted to have participated in the which part. competition and gained new skills, knowledge and most importantly had loads of fun on the way and made great new Display: friends. We asked everyone in our group if they had anything from Brazil and some of the girls said they had some things like We wish to thank the international committee for organising money, Brazil jersey, a Brazilian instrument, a replica of the such a wonderful weekend and to have the opportunity of World Cup. Then we started to write out our Guiding facts of proudly displaying our lovely winning plague for the next two Brazil including the Guides’ Motto, Promise and Guide Laws, years. We all look forward to participating in the senior the badge, the flag, facts also about the President and section in two years time! traditions of Brazil. We also included the recipes for the Shauna Quinn and Rebecca McMullan

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 41

International—Traveller’s Tales CIGA Service Project - Sangam 2015

Wow what an adventure ! It seems a life time ago since I was selected to be contigent Leader for the first CIGA Service Project. Another 12 volunteers from IGG and CGI were selected to become the team and together we spent almost 2 years getting to know each other and preparing for our journey to Sangam.

Despite the huge amount of support and advice we received from so many people, we were still catapulted into an amazing unknown and exciting world when we arrived in India. There is no preparation for witnessing the amount of people there and the fact that we were gazed at intently wherever we went. We found the Indian people to be very friendly and welcoming, except of course when it came to shopping. This was a whole new ball game. There was no shortage of shop staff wherever we went and their bargaining skills were second to none. They would take down stock from entire shelves and boxes and spare no detail on how we could use it all. By the end of our stay we were well into their banter and no one came away without bargaining for a much better price.

The experience of staying in a World Centre like Sangam was awesome. Memories include an amazing Welcoming Ceremony, opportunity to see the archives, check out the programme room, drink chai each day & take part in the various WAGGGS programmes.

Then we had the gong! The gong constantly resulted in a mad scramble to be wherever we were supposed to be. The staff at Sangam were amazing & looked after us very well. Thanks to our own Catherine O’Connor for all her help throughout our stay. One of our highlights was having our saris made to fit us and then wearing them for our Indian afternoon. Not so easy to play badminton in 40 degree sun and wearing saris but we had some laugh trying. Eating Indian food using our right hand only with no utensils was another first. We sampled some amazing Indian food. We took on the Sangam Challenge and happily accepted our badge. Another challenge was crossing the road despite at least five lanes of erratic traffic juggling bikes, motor bikes, rickshaws, cars, buses and trucks! (not to mention the cows).

The main reason for our journey was our community project where we worked in four small teams, each team assigned to a different Door Step School. Door Step School addresses the literacy amongst the marginalized sections of Indian society. Our project provided education and support primarily based on health to children from construction site families. We were soon adjusting our programmes to suit the needs of these children in each school. It was a humbling experience to see how these children live with so few material goods. They were so delighted to see us each day and their eagerness to learn was inspiring. They were a joy to teach and we in turn learnt so much by working with them. Our schedule was hectic but we survived.

After our project we took a few days to tour Agra, Jaipur and Delhi. All done in record time, starting with a very interesting 24 hour train journey. We have so many great memories – Bollywood dancing, Laughing Yoga, elephant rides, rickshaw runs, bus journeys, cows wandering along, snakes, monkeys, and so much more…

Thanks so much to everyone who helped us in any way with fundraising, with advice and with good wishes. Thanks to both International Commissioners Lorna and Yvonne for your support and encouragement along the way. Thanks to Jemma in National Office.

It was a truly amazing journey for all of us that we will never forget. We became like one big family. As a team would we work together again - yes in a heart beat !! Roll on the Reunion !! Margaret Corr On behalf of an incredible CIGA team

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International Opportunities

Follow Me! Leadership Team for National Contingent

7th International Finnjamboree http://roihu2016.fi/en

The International Committee is looking to recruit a number of Leaders to form the leadership team of next summer’s National Jamboree in Finland. Are you ready to take the next step on your Guiding career? Read on for more details…

Who is eligible to apply? We are looking to recruit Leaders with a variety of experiences. • Perhaps you have travelled abroad with your own Guides but have never taken charge of a National Group? • Maybe you have recently achieved your CO licence and would like to gain experience travelling abroad as Leader? • Or are you a Leader who is considering working towards her CO licence and would love to gain experience in a team of supportive Leaders? Whatever stage you are at there is a place for you on this team.

What’s involved in being part of the Contingent Leadership Team? You will help to select the girls who will represent IGG at this event and plan two training weekends to help the group get to know each other. During the event you will support the girls and each other on this International experience. The International Committee will be there to support you every step of the way. Leaders who have not yet achieved their International Permit will be encouraged to complete their permit this year. At least one member of the leadership team must have their permit prior to travelling.

When and where is the event on? The event will take place from July 20th – July 28th in southern Finland. There is also the possibility for Home Hospitality before the event. IGG groups have attended Kilke (2009) and Roverway (2012) at this campsite in previous years.

How much will it cost? Flights for next summer are not available yet, however as an estimate the total cost will be approximately €650. This price will be reduced through funding from the International Committee.

I’m interested, what do I do now? Fill in the International Application Form from the International Events and Opportunities section of the IGG website and return it to your Regional Commissioner.

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATION FORMS IS SEPTEMBER 25TH

This is a FINAL REMINDER for Roverway applications. If you would like to be able to travel to Roverway next August with CIGA then you must register your interest before the Oct 3rd/4th training weekend.

Fill out an application form from from the International Events and Opportunities section of the IGG website or email [email protected] with any other questions you have before applying.

Trefoil News September 2015 Page 43

International Opportunities

Join the planning team today!!!

No experience necessary, training & mentoring will be provided.

BROWNIE • Would you like to gain experience of event management? BREAKOUT 2016 • Can you work as part of a team to help deliver a great experience for our members? • Come and have your say in shaping this unique event! The International Committee is looking to recruit a team of enthusiastic Leaders to help plan a large scale Brownie event in Girlguiding Ulster’s venue in Lorne.

This is the first time an International Brownie event has been organised and you have a chance to be part of this historic event.

We welcome applications from Leaders of any Branch as well as Senior Branch members.

Expressions of interest should be sent to [email protected]

CLOSING DATE FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IS SEPTEMBER 25TH

Overtures Network Meeting When: October 16th—18th 2015 Where: Talinn, Estonia Who: Members over 18 with experience of, or an interest in, promoting diversity and inclusion within IGG. What’s it about: The Overtures Network is a group of Guides and Scouts from around Europe who meet twice a year to discuss ways to make our organisations more accessible to people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and with different abilities. IGG usually sends two participants to these events. How much: €65 participation fee, all other costs paid for by the Eileen Beatty Travel Fund. Highlights: Attend trainings and learn about successful projects that other organisations have been involved in. How to apply: Email [email protected] to express your interest and request an application form For more info: http://overture.europak-online.net/

Page 44 Trefoil News September 2015

SUMMER ADVENTURES

Shannon Ladybirds

Belmont Brownies Naomh Bhuite Brownies

Sallins Liffey Guides Brownies

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