Coventry Guides celebrate £600 cash boost from the Heart of England Co-operative Society

Members and leaders of the 9th City of Coventry North St Thomas Guide Unit

COVENTRY GUIDES CELEBRATE £600 CASH BOOST FROM THE HEART OF ENGLAND CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Guides in Coventry are celebrating a £600 windfall from the Heart of England Co-operative Society.

The 9th City of Coventry North St Thomas Guide Unit will use the money towards an international guide camp, taking place in Bromsgrove next year.

More than 1,500 guides and girl scouts from across the world are expected to attend the event which will feature five days of fun activities, adventures and physical challenges.

Nicola Woodrow, Unit Leader, said for many guides, this would be their only chance to experience an international event and to meet girls from other countries.

Some of the guides do not go on family holidays or school trips due to cost, while others are unable to go abroad due to medical issues and cost.

Nicola said: “We are a very diverse, inclusive unit within a fairly deprived area in Coventry north.

While the camp next year is based in Warwickshire, as a unit we wouldn’t be able to afford to go, so the guides are very grateful to the Heart of England Co-operative Society for its support.”

There are currently 23 guides within the group. Nicola said the aim was to take around 12 girls, six leaders and five one-to-one carers to the event, at a cost of £4,305.

So far the guides have raised enough to pay for food during the trip and has secured coach trips to and from the camp.

Fundraising events organised in the run up to the camp include a supermarket bag pack, cake sale, bric-a-brac and a craft stall at a church fete.

The girls are also being encouraged to save a little money every week towards the trip.

Nicola added: “Whatever we do for guiding, we do with the aim of getting the best from life and to be a part of our community.

“We also try to encourage our girls to be active and live healthy lives, so we want to encourage the young ladies to go to Arden to help them to be more physically active too.”

She added: “My sister and I have been at this unit since we ourselves were Brownies, aged seven. We have had amazing opportunities in life as a result of guiding and we are determined to keep these going for our girls.”

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