The annual Scouts and Guides service of Celebration and Thanksgiving was held at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 14 November 2015. This is an occasion where Scouts and Guides can honour their shared traditions and values and say thank you to the many wonderful volunteers both organisations have. Lizzy Adams, Rainbow Unit Leader and County International Advisor for Girlguiding Kent Weald County, gave the following speech on Saturday 14 November 2015:
This year marks the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the cornerstone of the British constitution. Today we are celebrating another cornerstone, the foundation of Girlguiding and The Scout Association, you, its volunteers. But you are not any volunteers, you are special volunteers who have made a lifetime commitment and demonstrated outstanding and distinguished service to these leading organisations for young people in the UK.
Without you, as a member of Girlguiding I would have never had the opportunity to hunt for minibeasts as a Rainbow, have a secret midnight feast, without Brown Owl finding out, whilst on a Brownie sleepover, get lost on an incident hike as a Guide or sleep out in a cardboard box for a homeless charity as a Senior Section member.
Without you I would never have helped to organise a division event for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee as part of my Leadership Qualification whilst at university or designed and run activities on inspirational women as part of the Innovate planning team for my Queen’s Guide Award.
Without you I would have never been encouraged to apply and participate in international Girlguiding opportunities to Thailand, Zambia & Gambia or lead the inaugural GOLD project to Rwanda this summer and train over 400 participants in a range of topics including leadership, safeguarding and women’s rights.
Without you I would never have been invited to become County International Adviser and now be able to encourage girls and leaders to participate in their own international Guiding adventures.
But I am not unique; I am one of thousands of girls and young women who have benefited from your time, wisdom, patience, encouragement and support.
You have developed, nurtured, and created opportunities to give girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and their communities. You have built girls’ confidence and raised their aspirations. You have given them the chance to discover their full potential and encouraged them to be a powerful force for good.
So thank you! Thank you to each and every one of you for your fantastic contributions to Girlguiding and The Scout Association, we are so grateful to you and the opportunities you have provided and continue to provide. You have laid the foundations and set a precedent for current and future generations of volunteers, in making these organisations so special for young people in the UK.
Lizzy Adams
Rainbow Unit Leader and County International Advisor for Girlguiding Kent Weald County