Thousands celebrate Guide anniversary

Photo: Laura Wild

Thousands celebrate girl guiding in Rochdale

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Thousands of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and leaders from Rochdale, Heywood, Oldham and Bury joined together this evening (Wednesday 20 October 2010) to launch the next 100 years of guiding.

3,000 members from the Lancashire South East group took part in a lantern lit procession from Oulder Hill Community School to the Spotland Football Stadium accompanied by brass bands, samber bands, street walkers and circus entertainers.

At the ground the girls took part in dance routines and looked back on the events they had taken part in over the last year. All before they joined together to renew their promise.

The Vision party at Spotland Stadium is one of hundreds taking place throughout the UK.

At 8.10pm (20:10, 20/10, 2010) the members joined thousands of girls and women across the country as they launched the next 100 years of guiding.

The girls were part of a live link with the Chief Guide Liz Burnley. Liz Burnley spoke from a Vision event in Oxfordshire, where she was also attending Girlguiding UK’s Young Women’s World Forum. The forum brought together girls and young women from around the world to discuss the Millennium Development Goals.

Rainbow guide, Suzanne Halkyard, was delighted with the event, she said: “The aims tonight are to reflect together on all the fun and excitement of the past 12 months, to bring all members of girl guiding together to share one moment in time, to reflect on what the promise means to each of us and to explore our ideas and aspirations for the future.

“The idea behind the lights is to light our way to our Vision of the future of Girlguiding UK.”

Robyn Jones a guide from Rochdale said: “It was so much fun to take part in the procession with so many other guides, the lanterns that we had made looked fantastic and the bands were great to walk too. Taking part in large events like this is the best part of being a guide.”

Sarah Barnes, County Commissioner for Lancashire South East said: “What a way to make the end of Centenary special, 3000 members here tonight, having fun & treasuring memories from the past but also thinking about what they want as their VISION for the future & the next 100 years.”