Helene visits 2nd Grappenhall Guides' first ever meeting - and finds out about GOLD

After a long journey from London, Helene arrived in Cheshire, at 2nd Grappenhall Guides’  very first meeting on February 22nd.  All eight Guides had been Brownies and were excited about their first night as Guides.  Helene got to know the girls and their Leaders, and learned about World Thinking Day and Millennium Development Goal 7: Ensuring Environmental Sustainability. 

Helene is proud of her sunflower seed pot!

The local Senior Section unit came along to run an activity about the environment, and everyone got to plant a sunflower seed in recyclable pots.  We were all challenged to see who can look after theirs the best!  Then the Guides taught Helene a game called 'Elephant Dash' which involved a lot of running and balls being thrown at her feet...she got very tired playing this game!  They also challenged Helene to try some international foods including olives, salami and some smelly, smelly fish!!!

Can you spot Helene trying international food?

One of our Leaders is taking part in GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) this year and has been selected to help run a project in Tanzania.  She took Helene for a weekend away to meet everyone involved in GOLD including the team heading to Guyana who will be working on environmental sustainability projects.  She learnt lots about how guiding works in other countries and how much planning these projects take!  She got a bit scared when they started talking about bug bites and long flights but enjoyed an activity evening based around the London Olympics.  At the end of the weekend Helene helped Team Tanzania to do the recycling for the 52 people who had been staying with her.

Helene helping out with the recycling

Helene came to visit us for the final time on February 29th.  We had two new Guides join the unit who were very excited about being 'leap year' members.  This week Helene made a boomerang with her Promise written on it. One of the Guides had brought her sunflower back this week and it was already over 5cms tall!
The Guides had collected lots of pennies during their first week in the unit and made a big trefoil out of them - the money will be used to help the Guides in Tanzania later this year. 

Helene and the unit's two newest members showing off the money collected for Guides in Tanzania

We've had lots of fun with Helene, and can't wait to see where she'll pop up next!