Renfrew Division

Finishing off our Spring 2008 and certainly not ones for lying down and having a quiet time, Renfrew Brownies and Guide Units held a Charity Concert in aid if CHAS in June which completed their year doing what we do best, helping others. The night raised £300 for the Charity.
At the end of our Summer session we were sad to lose our South Newton Representative Bruce Steven. Bruce felt that it was time for him to take a step back from his duties and enjoy his retirement and we wish him well. Sue Graham has kindly agreed to take on the role on behalf of Renfrew Division and I am sure she will be a great asset to the Committee.
With an ever increasing number of Units and members, it was decided that Cardonald should be divide into two separate Districts to be known as “Cardonald South” with Sheila Young as District Commissioner and “Cardonald North” with Evelyn Smith returning to her previous role as District Commissioner. This was a difficult decision to make but has worked out well and allows both Districts to continue to grow. Cardonald South have already increased their numbers with a new Rainbow Unit which has proved very popular.
Having packed away sleeping bags and tents after pack holidays and guide camps I was delighted to receive an invitation to visit “Bonaly” our PAGGS camp and had a great day with glorious sunshine, just the way I like to think of camping. Thank you to everyone who helped organise this magnificent event.
I wondered how we were ever going to keep up with all the great work during the next year and it wasn’t too long before our Summer was over and our truly enthusiastic Guiders were getting together to plan the forthcoming year in an exciting way for everyone to enjoy.
“Change the World” was a challenge set for the approaching Centenary year beginning in September 2009. The Challenge had to be completed prior to the beginning of our celebrations and a number of Units took part. There were nineteen topics to choose from with the most popular topics appearing to be bullying, asthma and WWF. This was a wonderful way for the girls to raise awareness of their chosen topic and also to help them express how they felt about subjects such as bullying. In an Erskine Guide unit, only one girl in the unit had not been affected in some way by bullying so it was useful to be able to talk about it out in the open and to let the girls know what it felt like from “both sides of the fence”. Such subjects bring Guiding into the 21st Century and are an important learning curve for many of the Guiders who perhaps have no experience in this area but are aware that it may have an effect on the girls at some point in their life either at school, in a future work place or within the Unit itself. Raising awareness of animal welfare such as WWF encourages the girls to look at the world we live in and how to preserve it for future generations.
The new District of Cardonald South decided to get together and work as a group to help promote guiding in the community. All Units worked on the same “Change the World Challenge” and organising a sponsored walk over the Erskine Bridge ending with a picnic with everyone from Rainbows to Guiders taking part. Later in the year, the Guides and their Leaders were to cycle round Millport so walking the Bridge was an easy challenge for them.
With the Olympics having taken place in August 2008, many Units throughout the Division thought it would be a good idea to incorporate this into the programme. Bishopton were first off the mark with their take on this great event and the Brownies played games involving sporting activities and had their own version of an Olympic award ceremony. A great fun filled way to welcome new members and show what a great time you can have while looking after yourself by keeping fit. Bishopton Guides planned a trip to Ingliston Equastrian Centre – perhaps in an effort to find some budding horsewomen among their girls. Continuing with the theme of healthy living Renfrew Guides paid a visit to Xscape.
Cardonald girls make regular trips to the Big Gig and did so again this year with an exciting trip to see the stars. Everyone always has such a good time going to this and the girls look forward to it each year.
Hallowe’en parties were all too quickly followed by Christmas parties and the highlight of the year the Christmas Panto with units visiting theatres in Paisley, Glasgow and Erskine. Everyone had a great time.
After a very successful Thinking Day Service in February 2008, the Division Executive decided to encourage Units and Districts to have their own celebrations and hopefully have an extra special event for our Centenary in February 2010. With this in mind, many of the Districts got together in different ways. The girls working on their Baden Powell in Erskine District arranged an International themed evening and all the Units got together for the first time in a while with both girls and Leaders celebrating in style. Blythswood District held a service for the Units in Inchinnan Parish Church.
The best “Coffee Morning” in the Division was held in February at the Community Centre in Bishopton. This is always a great success and everyone puts in a lot of work and effort into raising funds for both the District and the Units individually.
When a Young Leader wanted to make a trip to Romania, it was her own District of Inchinnan that helped to fund the trip so that she could carry out her voluntary work. Receiving their Mr Men and Little Miss goodies after doing the Children's Marathon Challenge, Inchinnan Brownies raised £698, £350 was sent to Children with Leukemia and the rest retained for Brownie funds.
It has been a busy year so far and by the end of February, members are looking forward to their pack holidays and camps as well as the County Camp towards the end of May in preparation for “Bonaly”.
We’ve had Teddy Bear picnics, High School Musical and now we have had a Centenary Bear travel all the way to the top of Ben Nevis along with its proud owner who made the trip for charity. Well done Sheila. How far do you think you could take your Centenary Bear?
Everyone wanted to get away in the Spring and there were trips to the Sea Life Centre for the Rainbows, pack holiday for the Brownies, Guide camps and PGL.
Towards the beginning of the summer, Karen McIntyre, a Guider for many years in Blythswood District was awarded a Certificate of Commendation. Sadly Karen died shortly after receiving the award and our thoughts are with her family. Maureen Tunnicliffe also from Blythswood and who in the past has had many roles in guiding also received recognition of our work with the organisation. Linda Mitchell, a Brownie Guider in Bishopton for many years decided to retire. Linda contributed to guiding locally in many ways and her input will be sorely missed. I would like to wish Linda all the best for the future on behalf of the Division.
The Division Executive have been busy looking at ways for everyone to join in the Centenary Celebrations and with this in mind, we have arranged a number of trips throughout the coming year. We hope that all our girls will join in and help to make this special year the best it can be.

Maureen Buchanan
Division Commissioner