Girlguiding Oxfordshire County Brownie Pack Holiday Fifty Six Brownies were lucky enough to attend a county pack hold at Stansfeld outdoor study centre the weekend 25 to 27 November 2011. The event was the brain child of Fiona Joines the county residential advisor. Fiona has many years’ experience as both a leader with Brownies and in running successful pack holidays. Through her role as Girlguiding Oxfordshire’s residential advisor for Brownies and Rainbows Fiona was aware that there are a number of leaders who do not have the experience to take their Brownies away. Brownie leaders were invited to express an interest in attending not only a pack holiday but also a training event for them as leaders. After recruiting three experienced team leaders Fiona invited leaders to join them and bring some of their Brownies along. Eleven leaders took up the challenge. The leaders split into three teams and each team took on a role for the weekend. These roles included the catering, activities and general health and hygiene.

Arran Babbs leader from 2nd Marston Brownies said she thought it was a great opportunity as she had not thought it was something she would get to do. Laura Marshal leader with 1st Benson Brownies said it was great to see the Brownies having a good time and eventually she hoped to be able to do her own pack holiday.

The Brownies had chosen a planet and star them and were working towards their Star Gazer Badge. Josie Harris, Natasha King and Kate Tilley from 16th Abingdon Brownies told me they were there to have fun on a Brownie Holiday and to learn about space. They had been to visit a black dome (later confirmed as the black hole) to find out about stars and planets and had been making their own cosmos.

They had been excited by the opportunity to sleep in bunk beds and be away from home. However, they were also a little tired, though they would not admit it, having not got to sleep until 01:30 because of people talking.

The Brownies had been divided into sixes and had to share the chores, but they were always supervised by a leaders. Some had cleaned the bathroom others had helped with the cooking and a group had chosen the morning prayer and song.

Charlotte Marchington from 3rd Kennington Brownies said it had been really good fun, there were loads of adventures and it was good to do them with your friends.

Based on information supplied by .