2018 was a very special year for our division as we celebrated 100 years of Girlguiding in Tamworth itself.  It was an opportunity for members of all sections to get together, commemorate this achievement and create memories that will remain with us for years to come.

We created a special set of badges as a reminder of our main events and collected tiers of a birthday cake as the year progressed.

Our first main event was to mark World Thinking Day, we gathered together at Pooley Country Park on a cold, but sunny February day.  Members participated in a variety of traditional guiding activities, made pom poms for use later in the year and created designs for a Catch Art project.

The next tier of our badge was earned as our division took over the Kingswood Staffordshire site for a weekend of fun and adventure. Brownies went down the zip-wire, built shelters and buggies, went climbing, learned some fencing moves, took part in the obstacle challenge and played aeroball.  Our Guides and Rangers went abseiling, crate stacking, tackled Jacob’s ladder, lit fires, whittled wood, solved problems and went caving and quad biking.  Rainbows joined us for the day and braved the heavy rain to take part in nightline, power climb and go caving.

We spent a day making preparations for our carnival float on the theme of ‘100 years of Guiding’.  Members of all our sections worked diligently to produce some amazing artwork which was subsequently used to decorate our float.  The sun shone on carnival day and our float was followed by a long procession of our members proudly carrying their unit flags.  The third tier was earned by those involved in the preparations, a carnival quiz and/or the day itself.

What started as a simple idea to picnic in the Castle Grounds soon grew into something far more exciting and memorable.  We planted a flower bed in the shape of our trefoil as part of Tamworth in Bloom and worked with a local artist to produce fantastic artwork to decorate the bandstand – this was admired by many in weeks to come. Rainbows played windchimes, Brownies boom whackers and Guides organised a variety of games.  Food was enjoyed and ice creams savoured!!!  Another tier well earned.

September found us parading through Tamworth as part of the ‘We Love Tamworth’ Celebrations.  The pom poms made earlier in the year were waved enthusiastically before being used to make our trefoil on the ground where we formed a human ‘100’.  Then time to party at Namco where Rainbows took over the soft play area, Brownies bowled and Guides tested their skills at adventure golf.  Everyone enjoyed the tasty buffet provided.

And so, to the final tier, presented to all members in the special year.

So much more went on locally, a huge well done to our amazing volunteers, for their support, commitment and dedication to Girlguiding and for the time and effort they put into running their units and providing so many varied activities for members of our Division.

An amazingly busy year for our volunteers but great fun had, friendships formed and memories made.