Something from the commissioner...

This is our last news and views before we hand over to Mandy on 1^st November. It has been a huge privilege to work alongside Mel and Sharon as part of the county commissioner team and looking back over the last 5 years we have come a long since taking over from Janita during covid when units couldn’t meet apart from via zoom. We started with socially distanced meetings and outdoor first response training. Since then all sections have had trips just for them, leaders have had training weekends, thank you and social events, we’ve held thinking day events, had action packed holidays to Hautbois and Switzerland, partnered with the Football association, Saints Rugby and Nenescape, had water and archery days and our last big event for over 1000 was our trip to Whipsnade Zoo in the summer.

All this would not have been possible without the dedicated support of our Trustees and the volunteers who invest their time so generously as members of the finance, programme, outdoor and training teams to deliver these events for county, we are very grateful for their skills and expertise. And to all the commissioners and volunteers who ensure their young members are offered these opportunities. Thank you for making Girlguiding Northamptonshire such a great organization to be part of.

Adèle, Mel and Sharon

EVENTS

What's happening where and when? Click on the Event for further details

TRAININGS - click on the training for further information

To complete First Response, or Safer Guiding e-learnings (which replace Safe Space Levels 1, 2 and 3) please visit the Learning Platform

External First Response - All recognised prior learning or external courses will need to be verified through the external first aid area of the learning platform. This will be verified by your region first aid verifier team. You'll be asked to complete your 1st response e-learning (if you haven't already done so) before you're able to upload your external course for verification. You'll be asked to provide your certificate as well as information regarding how your external course has covered the 1st response syllabus

MacQueen House is being updated



Over the next few months there will be some updates to MacQueen house, these include

• replacing all the night storage heaters with Wi-Fi controlled ceramic panels and increasing the loft insulation to reduce heating bills and make the property warmer.
• Replacing all the beds and mattresses with standard 3ft wide bunks and beds to comply with current regulations and make the beds more comfortable for adults.
• Replacing the fire doors with UPVC ones and repairing blown double glazing units to reduce long term maintenance costs and reduce draughts.
• Removing the kitchen water heater and replacing it with a hot water tap to reduce electricity costs.



The work will be completed during the week to ensure there is no disruption for the units that have booked to stay. 

Rugby Sessions - what a great experience

A big thanks to the Northampton Saints Community coaching team for enabling over 300 or our young members to try rugby at our taster sessions last month. Alongside seeing England lift the Rugby World Cup, hopefully we have inspired some future red roses!

Earlier in the summer there was a People’s postcode lottery win in Northampton which then also gives £1,000,000 to the Postcode community trust to donate to local community groups in the area. Girlguiding Northamptonshire is the lucky recipient of £30,000 to spend supporting our members!

We need ideas on how to spend the money – special events, trips, activities, facilities, do you have an ‘if only we had more money we could do this’ thought? Please email cc@girlguidingnorthamptonshire.org.uk with your suggestions. We look forward to hearing them. 

IRIS SUTER 1940-2025

It was with great sorrow we said goodbye to our lovely friend Iris, who passed away on 12th August.

Iris started her Guiding footpath nearly 50 years ago helping at St. Gregory’s Guides. She went to many camps, Guiders training weekends, fun camps, and days out with the girls. She came on many Brownie Pack Holidays as our First Aider, and looked after the girls very well.

She joined the Northampton Trefoil Guild 20 years ago. She had many adventures with them including the County TG weeks away. Her and her late husband Tony joined a group to Kenya which they both loved. Another of her favourite places was Brownsea Island, she loved nature and it gave her great pleasure spotting the red squirrels and birds.

Iris was ‘A friend and sister to all Guides’. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her. We will miss you our dear friend.

Lynda Curtis

INSPIRE



Another fabulous event for our 18-30 Section.

Book now!

County role holder’s afternoon tea thank you.

Commissioner and county role holders enjoyed a thank you afternoon tea at The Eccentric Englishman Northampton 

INSPIRE (18-30) Bowling in September! 

Great fun and lovely company are just some of the few things you can expect at an Inspire event.

Don’t forget to book onto the next event - Pottery Painting in November!!

Follow Girlguiding Inspire Northamptonshire on

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Celebrating a Century of Guiding - 19^th Northampton(St Giles) Guides Mark 100 Years. A heartfelt afternoon of memories, friendship, and song.

I had the great privilege of joining them on this truly special occasion. It was an afternoon brimming with warmth, laughter, and a wonderful sense of community, perfectly capturing the spirit of Girlguiding.

The afternoon began with a short, yet meaningful service led by the Reverend Ali Wagner, herself once a Guide with Abington Avenue. It was lovely to see past and present members come together, united by their shared experiences and the values that have defined the St Giles Guides for a century.

Helen Hayward, the longstanding Guide Leader of the Unit, shared a touching letter from a former Guide. The letter transported us back in time, recalling the simple joys of marching into a horseshoe, standing tall during inspection, venturing off to camp, apple pie beds and—most importantly—making lifelong friends. It was a beautiful reminder of the companionship and sense of belonging that belonging to Guiding brings. Presentation of the Unit Colours, both old and new, and the heartfelt renewal of our Guide Promise, were also part of the Service.

Delia Askew was presented with her 60 Year Long Service Award by Helen.

Everyone enjoyed an afternoon tea. The room buzzed with conversation as former and current Guides, including a good number of Trefoil Ladies who had all once worn the 19th St Giles Necker, shared stories and laughter.

The celebrations continued with the much-loved tradition of campfire singing, voices raised in harmony as songs old and new rang out. 

No milestone or Guide event is complete without cake, and the one created by a talented member of the leadership team was cut  by the youngest and oldest Guide present—a symbol of the enduring legacy and bright future of St Giles Guides.

A huge well done to Helen and her team for organising such a splendid afternoon. The event was a heartfelt tribute to the Guiding movement and the countless lives enriched through friendship, adventure, and service. Here’s to the next 100 years of St Giles Guides!

Mandy Ludlow

Kath Loader was presented with the county Thanks and Recognition Award during her Brownie meeting. Kath’s dedication, warmth, and tireless commitment make her a true Guiding Light. Kath has been part of Headlands Brownies for an incredible 18 years. Over her almost 40 years in Girlguiding, she has inspired, encouraged, and supported countless girls and fellow volunteers. Whether leading a pack or lending a hand behind the scenes.

One of Kath’s most admired qualities is her unwavering reliability. She is always there when needed, bringing a wealth of experience to every meeting and event. Kath’s commitment to Girlguiding shines through in her ability to blend the fun of modern activities with the cherished traditions of Guiding – helping girls gain new skills while keeping the spirit of Guiding alive. Her thoughtful approach ensures every girl feels included and valued.

Kath leads not by seeking the spotlight, but through her unassuming and kind-hearted nature. She is endlessly patient, always ready with a listening ear or a gentle word of encouragement. The girls look up to her, knowing they can trust her to help them grow in confidence and kindness. Kath’s empathy and quiet dedication are the glue that binds our unit together.

Throughout her guiding journey, Kath has worn many hats. She has served as district commissioner and district treasurer as well as running her own Brownie pack. In every role she has shown the same care, diligence and enthusiasm that make her such a cherished member of our Girlguiding family.

Frances Tebbutt - Chair of Finance

Lynsey McIntosh - Chair of adult support and LDP co-ordinator

Eloise Baillie - Isham Division Commissioner

Angela Copping -Joint Guilsborough Division Commissioner

Mandy Ludlow - Nene Division Commissioner

Charlee Welford-Dolman - County brownie adviser

Amy Jones- Growth team member

Maddalena Tinker - Commissioner mentor

Emma Wilson - Nene Division Commissioner

Helen Hayward - Duston & Upton District Commissioner

27th Fuller and 3rd Burton Latimer Brownies enjoyed an upside down and back to front themed pack holiday at Macqueen house.

The girls did a backwards scavenger hunt having the answers and finding the correct questions. Made hanging bats and monkeys hanging from a tree. Learnt to write their name backwards and colouring pictures with their feet.

We had lots of laughs and not much sleep but everyone had a great weekend.

Safer Guiding and DBS valid to and deadline dates explained.

On your GO record – under your safe practice summary tab found in your profile you will see a Safer guiding valid to date. This is the date your current qualification expires. There is then a 40-day grace period for you to complete your training - the safer guiding deadline date. 

For DBS renewals on GO there is a valid until date and you will see a disclosure deadline date 40 days after the valid until date this is the grace period.

For both Safer guiding and DBS - as soon as the valid to date is reached and the qualification or DBS has not been completed your role will become active pending and you won’t be able to log onto GO and will need to be supervised at all times when with the young members.



At the end of the 40-day grace period – deadline date - if the safer guiding training hasn’t been renewed or your DBS hasn’t been started Girlguiding will start procedures to withdraw your membership and you will need to appeal. GO does send email reminders but a lot of these end up in spam to if in doubt please check your records. 

Subscription 2026



HQ and region have announced their 2026 levies: 

HQ                £36

Region           £8

County         £12

Total            £56  

This is before anything for division or district is added, however the figures above should enable you to plan your finances for the next academic year. 

Midlands Region Grants – free money

Region has 3 different grants available. During 2025 fewer grants have been applied for and there is still plenty of money available.  Some of the money has come from Girlguiding and if Region hasn’t distributed it all by the end of the year they will have to give it back to London. Start applying now using the current forms available HERE if your unit or an individual member would benefit from the support.

To make it easier for leaders to apply Region will be updating the application process to just one form in 2026. Look out in the Region newsletter and on the region website for the updated form.  

Please be aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer

For more information and social medial links to share please visit the website

The Going Away With Scheme is a resource for all adults within guiding who have completed the Leadership Qualification and wish to gain a qualification to be able to take their girls away on residential's.

Going away on a residential this year?

Don’t forget to check that your venue is approved for staying overnight in. 

A list of national venues is on the Girlguiding website and Northampton County approved properties are on our website 

If it isn’t on the list please contact the advisers to arrange a visit to approve it; guideholiday@girlguidingnorthamptonshire.org.uk or brownieholiday@girlguidingnorthamptonshire.org.uk

All the time you spend keeping up to date in your Guiding roles can help work towards a training pin.                        

This includes both e-learnings and face to face trainings - so attending a safe space, first response or county training day will give you hours towards a pin. 

Training Record Cards are available to print from the county website, so you can record what you do and then apply to the office for your hard-earned brooches. It also explains how to count your hours and what can be included. 

Nights Away Badges

Keep track of your nights away using the record card below. When you reach 1,3,5,7,10,15,25,50,75,100,150 and 200 nights you can celebrate with a Northamptonshire nights away badge.

If you make your purchase from the county office you will need to add on postage unless collecting - order form for that below or purchase via the guiding shops in the usual way.

Girlguiding Northamptonshire are celebrating the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics with a challenge badge

Girlguiding in motion

MacQueen House  

Information and availability for MacQueen HERE

Jubilee Campsite



Information and availability for campsite HERE

County Office - The Unity Centre - Opening times

9.30am-12.30pm Weekdays in term-time

During school holidays it is always best to email office@girlguidingnorthamptonshire.org.uk

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