Our County February 2021 Twelve months ago the country saw its biggest volunteer recruitment drive since World War 2. The focus, rightly, was on supporting the people in our country through the pandemic. Girlguiding Greater Manchester West has played an important role in supporting the mental health of girls and providing a bit of normality in a world that otherwise seemed chaotic. Our thanks go to you all. We have seen a decline in the number of volunteers and girls. Some have taken time to reflect, others found their lives too busy. As we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it's now time to consolidate, to re-establish ourselves and to start to grow again. We can’t do this without you. Please support as much of our recruitment drive as possible. If you’re on social media, shout about Girlguiding, get your friends to shout too. If you’re not, phone the local radio stations, wear your uniform with pride and talk to as many people as possible. Let them know that Girlguiding is for all girls, that we give them a voice, and that Girlguiding changes as the lives of girls change. We thank you for being part of the future of Girlguiding Greater Manchester West. Chris and Amy Congratulations to Emily Pickering - Davyhulme Valerie Goto - Timperley Nadia Delova-Biali - Walkden East Kelly Cundle - Walkden East Rebecca Nicholson - Irlams O'Th'Height Jessica Felton - Sale Moor Natalie Austin - Sale Central Hannah Kenney - Hale Victoria Lewis - Hale Emma Lowe - Eccles All have completed their Leadership Qualification in the last 12 months despite 3 national lockdowns. Well done and welcome to Girlguiding. Volunteer Recruitment Volunteer Challenge Week 15 – 19 February 2021 Here's how you can get involved During the week we are asking you to change your profile pictures across social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) to you in uniform with our Girlguiding GMW frames. We would also like you to change your Zoom background to our newly created one. Facebook Frame 1 - Yellow ring and stars Facebook Frame 2 - Girlguiding coloured striped rings Download Zoom background When posting across any social media channel, please make sure you use the hashtags #GirlguidingGreaterManchesterWest #VolunteerSalford #VolunteerTrafford Our social media channels Monday 15 February Tuesday 16 February Shout about the fact Spread the word Twitter: @GirlguidingGMW you’re a volunteer Ask your friends and family to Facebook: post on social media how great facebook.com/GirlguidingGMW Try and fit the phrase ‘I it is that you volunteer for Instagram: @girlguidinggmw_ volunteer for Girlguiding’ Girlguiding GMW TikTok: @girlguidinggmw into your conversation six #GirlGuidingGreaterManchest Or use our linktree times erWest #VolunteerSalford https://linktr.ee/GirlguidingGMW #VolunteerTrafford Wednesday 17 February Thursday 18 February Friday 19 February Get our message out Make us famous Wear your uniform to work Contact your local radio station and ask them to play ‘Reach’ by S Try and get a celebrity to If possible, wear your uniform Club 7 and to thank all the retweet/repost an Instagram to your day job to prompt volunteers in Girlguiding Greater story/like a Facebook post about conversation about Manchester West for their on Girlguiding Greater Manchester volunteering for Girlguiding going commitment during the West Greater Manchester West pandemic Radio Stations The Hits Radio BBC Radio Manchester Smooth North West Twitter handle: Twitter handle: Twitter handle: @hitsradiouk @BBCRadioManc @SmoothNorthWest Instagram handle: Instagram handle: Instagram handle: @hitsradiouk @BBCradiomanchester @SmoothNorthWest Facebook: Facebook: Facebook: facebook.com/hitsradiouk facebook.com/bbcmanchester facebook.com/SmoothRadioNorthWest Phone number: 0161 288 5000 Phone number: 0800 218 22 55 Phone number: 0161 662 4602 Text: 655888 Other ways to help We need photos of you holding up a sign that explains why you volunteer for Girlguiding. A video of you saying one word that comes to mind when someone says Girlguiding. Please wear uniform and record the video in portrait. Any positive stories, photos, videos etc you’d like to share across social media. Please help by sending your photos, videos and stories to K'Dee and Aisha at [email protected] or get in touch if you have any questions. Useful Information Girlguiding Key Messages Click here for Key Messages and talking about Girlguiding 1. We are for all girls. Click here for Volunteer Code of Conduct 2. We give girls their own space. 3. We give girls a voice. Click here for Digital Safeguarding Policy 4. We change as the lives of girls change. Meet the Team Aisha Barker K'Dee Melfi PR Adviser PR Adviser Let's get to know each other Joint Role Joint Role We would love to find out more about all of you. Please email Aisha and K'Dee at [email protected] with your photo, name, role(s), unit, district and Your favourite guiding moment Something from your bucket list Your favourite food We will share them in future editions of Our County. Favourite Guiding moment Favourite Guiding moment Taking a group of rangers to Taking our Guides on their Croatia in 2019. first camp in 2019. Bucket list Bucket list To visit as many of the guiding To hike in the himalayas. world centres as I can (when Favourite food we can travel) and go on Nonna's Lasagne another guide camp (soon). Favourite food Cottage pie Debbie Middleton Timperley District Treasurer 2nd Timperley Rainbows Favourite Guiding moment Travelling to Finland on behalf of Girlguiding NWE as leader of an ICE trip with a wonderful group of guides and 3 other leaders. Bucket list To go to the Norwegian fjords Favourite food Anything Thai (but no fish yuk) Guiding with a difference If you are guiding virtually or sending out packs and activities to your girls we want to hear from you. We are all having to find new ways of doing things and we want to share around the county. Email your stories to [email protected] Frosty Sleepover We all had lots of fun at our Frosty Sleepover. We made dens, sock snowmen, edible snowmen and s'mores. Had fun on zoom and a virtual pantomime. Thanks to everyone who joined us and sent us loads of pictures. You can see more on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Height District Guides Christmas Fundraiser Normally, Height District Guides hold a Christmas fair to raise money for a local charity. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible this year but the Guides were still keen to help out some charities. They decided they wanted to make and sell some Christmas decorations and Christmas face masks and they also chose to split the money raised between Wood Street Mission and Animals in Distress. Each Guide received a pack of materials and we spent time in our Zoom meetings learning how to make each item. The Guides then finished them at home and used their business sheet to track sales and raised over £140 for their chosen charities. We're super proud of how well they did. Everyone said they had lots of fun making the crafts and that making them was harder than selling them! Grandparents were big supporters, buying lots of the crafts but taking orders from friends at school was also a big winner. Asking the Guides how they felt to have raised so much money despite all the challenges they said "I feel very happy that we raised over £100 to help different families and animals." Alison, Leader A Golden Start to the Year It's been a golden start to the year for 1st Swinton Brownies with 6 girls presented with their Brownie Gold Award. What a fantastic way to start 2021. Amelia, Kate, Ciara, Evie, Libby and Amelia celebrated their achievement with a presentation over Zoom. The girls eagerly opened their golden envelope to reveal their certificate and badge. Kate's mum Mary said, "the girls could not have done it without the ongoing support of Brown Owl, Elaine Walker and Snowy Owl, Tanja Jones." District commissioner Debbie Craven who was also at the presentation said: "What a fantastic achievement for everyone, I am really proud of Elaine, Tanja and the Brownies." Georgia from 6th Stretford Brownies had great success with the ‘Act Your Age’ challenge, in partnership with Children in Need. Georgia pledged to do 8 front flips and 8 cartwheels. She raised £360 and earnt herself two badges. Congratulations to Grace from 1st Timperley Brownies on being presented Sale and District Lions Achiever of the year in Trafford Achievements Awards Wonderful Christmas Confectionery by 2020. 3rd Hale Barns Brownies, from their virtual meetings this term. Well done Brownies, what an achievement! Ashley 100 Club Winners Annual prize Kathryn Stebbings (42) September 1st - Joan Tomlinson (32) 2nd - Margaret Kay (24) October 1st - Pat Mayle (91) 2nd - Helen Cotrill (27) November 1st - Margaret Baguley (85) 2nd - Paula Gray (100) December 1st - Joan Ford (72) 2nd - Muriel Taylor (14) January 1st - 6th Davyhulme Brownies (63) 2nd - Belinda Hensall (21) Training All our upcoming training can be found on our website. For booking and more information click here - Training and Events If you have any questions please email Rebecca Carr on [email protected] Welcome to Girlguiding Introduction to unit accounts Zoom session Zoom training Saturday 10 April 10-11.30am Wednesday 10 March 7.30 - 9pm or Thursday 22 April 7-8.30pm An overview of Girlguiding for new First Response volunteers Zoom training Module 2 Wednesday 17 March 7-9pm Module 3 Leader in Training Catch Up Thursday 18 March 7-9pm Zoom training Module 1 must be completed Saturday 28 June 10am - 12.30pm face to face when we can 1st Response Training A Safe Space 1st Response is Girlguiding's first aid course.