girlguiding

Did you know that girlguiding is 100 years old? I really like those traditional guiding activities, like knots, using a compass, semaphore, making triangular slings from your scarf, wearing a woggle, campfires...it was all about duty, being independent, being useful, and I suppose, being good. Like living the life of an Enid Blyton character: adventure, with morals thrown in. Anyway all those things appeal to me.

Alas, a modern Brownie will probably only do those things if she does her 'brownie traditions' or 'brownie skills' badges. When I was doing prep for the 'traditions' badge, I found out what a 9/10 year-old little girl had to be able to do to get her First Class badge, the highest achievement before 'getting her wings' - going up to Guides;

* have one shilling in a the Savings bank (£2.15 in today's money)

* cook a simple dish

* know first aid bandaging

* know the history of a place and act as a guide to the place
* make a milk pudding
* carry a message of 12 words in her head and deliver it correctly
* knit a pair of socks
* fold clothes for mangling and clean boots

and if they get this far they will of course already be able to;

* lay and light a fire

* make a bed
* cut out and sew a union jack

* tie knots

I certainly can't do all of these! When I last saw her, my mum gave me all her old Guide badges, a significant gift.

I wish I could tell you what they are all for, especially the one with the anchor. I'll need to find a Guide Badge Handbook circa 1972. My own brownie badges are equally unintelligible, a mere symbol on dreary brown. Today's have undergone a radical makeover, and what they lose in gravity, they make up for in their ability to tell the world, unmistakably, what they are for.

My brownies are currently doing their Adventure 100 badge, to celebrate the centenary.

You basically choose from 100 assorted adventures to gain 100 points. We're having a Race Night for 10 points. Fun races; wind-up toy, three-legged, wheelbarrow, dress-up relay, potato and spoon, island hop, maze, word search and A-Z races. With 'brownie cocktails' - squash and lemonade mixed in a cocktail shaker with an umbrella and slice of lemon, and fancy hats, like Ladies Day at Ascot.

I've spent the weekend making the winners some medals, with fabric scraps, cardboard, an ink-jet printer, and a stapler. I'm quite proud of the results...