Pencarrow
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Trip to Makara
In Pencarrow, we did a joint 27th and 66th Guides Pencarrow trip to Makara to do a beach clean-up with Sustainable Coastlines, and then up to Westwind for a hike. It meant we did some community service hours and worked on our Fit for Life and Switched On badges.
According to Vikki’s pedometer, we walked a total of 14,081 steps (equal to just over 9km), were the first group of volunteers to return a full rubbish bag, and threw Ella off a cliff so we could rescue her, get her safely back to the top of the cliff without a stretcher and treat her sprained ankle.
No Girl Guides were harmed in the making of that particular stunt.
PS: We have just learnt that (along with others in Wellington) we picked up over 23,000 litres of rubbish off the coast on Saturday!
27th and 66th Guides Pencarrow
Come Camping wide game at Wainuiomata
On Monday 5 November the girls of the 56th Pencarrow Brownie Pack in Wainuiomata took part in a wide game. They had to follow clues about a burglary in the kitchen at camp. Along the way they had tasks to complete that taught them skills that could be needed on camp, such as putting together bedrolls, how to wash clothes and how to wash their hair at camp. Once they had collected all the clues we had a mock campfire, sang songs, and toasted marshmallows and put them between Girl Guide biscuits. All the girls who took part achieved their Come Camping unit badge.
By Kerrie Wylie
Brownie Leader
Brownies help Santa’s reindeer hunt
On 19 November girls of the 56th Brownie Pack in Wainuiomata were given a special task to complete from Santa. Santa had rung the leaders rather distressed because he had lost his reindeer and needed help to find them.
The girls in their Sixer groups were given clues of where they could be located out in the community. They were able to solve the clues in any order as they set off in their search for the reindeer. Once they had located all nine reindeer they returned to the Guide Hall and worked out the message on the back of the reindeer. Then the girls had to put the reindeer in the order that they pull Santa’s Sleigh. Santa had a reward waiting for them once they had completed all the tasks.
By Liz Wylie
Brownie Leader
Pencarrow Take Back the Night rally
On a blustery Lower Hutt evening on 30 September, Pencarrow Region held their first Take Back the Night rally. Twenty seven people attended, including the city’s Mayor and Mayoress and a local policeman. Of particular note, were the five people who attended as a result of reading our promotional story of the event in The Hutt News.
Our rally included singing, a poem reading and the very inspiring and moving speech from a former victim of violence. The event provided an opportunity for the participants to speak out against violence towards girls and young women. Glow sticks were snapped and raised to the night sky as a symbolic gesture to remember all those that have been affected by violence.
We raised $61.20 in monetary donations and collected food and clothing items for the Women’s Refuge.
A very warm thank you to those involved in the planning, who assisted on the night and to those who attended. Without your support our event would not have been such a success.
Claire Angliss
Taskforce Team Leader
A sleepover at the zoo
After saying our goodbyes to our families we headed up to the room where we were going to spend the night. We got wrapped up into our very warm clothes and after watching a short video on the zoo with Dave, our guide, we headed out for our night time tour armed with torches and rain coats!
We were taken to the rooms where all the animals’ food is stored. Dave showed us different types of food that is fed to the animals, including hares, baby chickens, mice, etc. We also watched the Brownies have a competition to see who could eat half an apple the quickest in order to win the grapes. It was about seeing how chimps survive on the food chain, and if it is best to eat their food fast or slow.
We visited the giraffes in their bedroom. They were all on the floor having a rest, and giraffes only sleep for up to an hour every day, so they were not to keen on eating the pohutukawa leaves we had for them. Never mind, they were just interesting to watch!
We then went to another room to make some food to feed the monkeys the next morning. We mixed up porridge, water and sultanas, and pushed it into pipes or toilet rolls. It was very messy!!
These were then put in the freezer overnight to be used the next morning.
We battled through the wind and rain, but our spirits were high. Each Pippin was allocated a Guide, so they were all happy being able to hold hands with someone so cool!
After a milo, cake and biscuit we headed to bed, all the pippins lined up together in a row! Sleep finally arrived about 11pm, I think! We slept on the floor, with little foam mattresses. Aside from everyone getting up to the toilet 10 times each in the night, and coughing, torches and phones going off, some sleep was had!
Alarm went off at 6am, up for breakfast, dressing and packing our bags.
Our guide, Zac, arrived, and took us on another tour. We threw the frozen pipes over to the monkeys on Monkey Island, and watched them try and get to them first, and then pick out the sultanas. They were very cute.
We then got to pat a big lizard from Australia; it looked like a pine cone, but a very long one! Its name was Dad. It was over 20 years old.
We then were given glow in the dark bracelets to remember our visit to the zoo.
68th Pencarrow Brownies & 10th Pencarrow Pippins & 68th Pencarrow Guides
Somes Hutt Brownies enjoy Camp Cowgirl
The rain and cold wind didn’t deter 47 Brownies from Somes Hutt District turning up to YMCA camp Kaitoke for Camp Cowgirl. All bright-eyed and ready for adventure, the girls were given their name tags and room names (themed on such things as: the bandits, the apaches, the pioneers, etc.)
When settled in, they were ready for their introduction talk and activities. The four bases were: kayaking, archery, making cowgirl vests, and cowgirl games. Each group rotated to each activity, two on Saturday and two on Sunday. Throughout the day, the Sheriff came and arrested each girl, took her to jail, where she had to put on handcuffs, ball and chain, then pose for a photo. We even had stalks for the really naughty girls! To get out of jail, the girls had to hunt for a lollipop in the haystack. The girls all got given their individual “wanted” posters to take home.
The yummy dinner of Mexican fajitas and make your own ice cream sundaes was devoured by the hungry girls. We then got into our cowgirl costumes and went to the gym for the barn dance. We then followed a Burma trail - in the dark, following a rope decorated with glow sticks, until we reached the campfire. Campfire was heaps of fun; we sang and did action songs in front of the blazing fire! We were all ready for bed, so into our cosy cabins we went!
Morning began with a session on jump jam. Breakfast was followed by room clean up and packing. We then we did our other two activities. After lunch, we had our photos taken in our units. We then had a guide’s own, where all the girls got to say what they enjoyed most from the camp. The parents arrived and picked up the happy, but tired girls!
Susie Hardie
21st Pencarrow Brownie Pack
Challenge 9 Clause
I really loved going to the river and looking for gold because you get wet and your hands get freezing. In some patches, there was a lot of gold (fake).
Larissa Grisjbach
I liked being in jail because you got a lollipop.
Renee Stevens
I liked that we did archery.
Olivia Hyett
I enjoyed having my mum at camp to help me out with things. I also enjoyed doing craft, because we got to make cowgirl vests. It was the best camp I have been to. Camp cowgirl rocks!
Iva Puskarica
I liked kayaking because we played a game of tag.
Anna Wilson
My favourite part of the camp was archery because we got to use real arrows!
Sophia Hardie
I liked kayaking and getting wet.
Ruth Widrig
I liked doing my mum’s base - the craft base. I also liked kayaking because I have not done it before. I loved camp.
Leigh Rodgers
I liked kayaking and making the vest.
Caitlin Bourne
21st Epuni Brownies
Somes Island Trip
On 4 February Guides and families from 15th Pencarrow Guides in Masterton spent a day on Matiu/Somes Island, a historic and scientific reserve in the middle of Wellington harbour.
We met at Days Bay for the 10 minute ferry ride to Matiu/Somes Island. Guides and their families had the opportunity to explore the gun emplacements and old animal quarantine station. A number took up the opportunity to learn how to use a GPS and do some geocaching which was a great way of exploring the island. There were many tracks to explore where we saw lots of skinks. It was amazing to see tuatara in their natural environment just a few metres from the track. Throughout the bush we saw kakariki, robins and many other birds. There were wonderful views of the harbour and Wellington in the distance. A great day was had by all.
Comments from one of the Guides:
“I liked Somes Island because you learn something different, you enjoy it, and climbing the steep hills really gets your legs burning. I liked the animal quarantine because you can walk inside it and see the process the workers would have had to go through. I liked the concrete bunkers because there is an amazing lookout at the top. I am so glad I went because it was such a fun and enjoyable day and I will definitely go back.” – Aleisha
Cheque presented to GGNZ Earthquake Fund
On Thursday 12 January Pat Schofield, a visiting member of the Jodrell Trefoil Guild in Cheshire, United Kingdom presented local girls from the Pencarrow unit a cheque for NZ$1000.
The girls were Katie Schofield (5) from the10th Pencarrow Pippin unit, Lucy Schofield (8) from the 68th Pencarrow Brownies unit and Madeleine Arps (9) from the 11th Pencarrow Brownie unit.
When Pat heard about the Christchurch earthquakes she decided to organise a collection that she would be able to bring with her when she was to visit her family in New Zealand during the 2011/2012 Christmas break. Pat enrolled as a Brownie on 11 February 1944 and has been a member since.
She raised the $1000 with the help of the local Trefoil Guild in Cheshire where she lives by selling key rings, a raffle, selling plants and product at Women’s Institute Meetings, a garden party coffee morning, a Christmas luncheon and through donations.
Ex-Guide Mary Kempster, now of Karori, was with Pat during the presentation. We thank Pat and the Jodrell Trefoil Guild of Cheshire very much for this generous donation.
What has Pencarrow been up to in 2012?
Why not tell us what you have been doing in your unit so far this year?
I know you have been out camping, doing Community Service and generally having a lot of GirlGuiding Adventures - lets show everyone what we have been doing!
Forward any stories or photos on to your Leader, District Co-ordinator, Regional Co-ordinator or the Lower North Zone Office so they can be published here.
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