A group of Guides from Wotton have returned from four days of high-adrenaline activities and live music at Wellies and Wristbands – a fantastic festival-style event exclusively for Girlguiding members.
13 members of 2nd Wotton Guides travelled by train to Foxlease in Hampshire to join more than 2,000 Guides and members of The Senior Section for the action-packed girl-only extravaganza over the Bank Holiday weekend (23-26 August).
Thrill-seekers had their pick of the adventurous activities on offer at Foxlease - one of Girlguiding’s Training and Activity Centres – including zip wiring, abseiling, a high ropes course and the crate challenge, which sees fearless participants build a huge tower of crates while harnessed to a rope.
The Guides also had the chance to relax, with live music from local acts, street dancing, a beach village, cinema and pamper zone complete with hot tubs set up on the 65-acre site for the occasion.
Among the activities the Wotton group, all aged 11 to 13, chose to try out were rafting, whizzing through the trees on a zip wire, having a go at archery, and setting the record for the longest time on a bucking bronco!
Charlie, 11, said: Wellies and wristband was brilliant because there was workshops you could do, crafts, hot tubs and the activities were fun. The staff on the activities were kind and helpful. I hope to come back next year!
Guide leader Sarah Cocker said: “Wellies and Wristbands was a great experience for the girls and leaders – there was a real festival-style atmosphere and it was extra special because it made us realise the scale of Girlguiding across the UK and the importance of a ‘girl-only’ space. We were all sad to leave!
For more information about how to get involved with Girlguiding, the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk.