Real life
Reader Claire Lister reveals why Girlguiding has become her lifelong passion
It started as a way to meet new friends outside school, after a move from London to Norfolk when she was 10. But Claire Lister has now been almost continuously involved in Girlguiding for 33 years, apart from taking a grand total of three months off after having her two children – Joe in 2007 and Amy in 2009. There may have been many changes since the Girl Guides were formed in 1910, but for the girls of today, the fun, opportunities and camaraderie it offers are greater than ever.
‘I do remember what it meant to know other girls from the unit when I joined the Guides,’ says Claire, 43, Diss District Guide Leader and South Norfolk Division Commissioner. ‘It’s that friendly face in the school corridor, even if some girls don’t like to admit they’re members! I think what we offer is a welcoming safe space to just be normal – for girls to be girls.’
Claire admits to taking a two-year break at 14 when she didn’t consider the charity to be ‘cool’, but she was enticed back by her old Guide Leader at 16 to become a Brownie Young Leader. That is someone who helps in the unit with activities and games, and looks after small groups of girls.
Since then, she has been dedicated to volunteering in the local Rainbow, Brownie and Guide unit, and became Leader in 2006. Rainbows (for girls aged four to seven) were introduced in 1987. ‘My days as a Guide were quite different from today,’ Claire explains. ‘It was all very basic, but practical. Going on camps in fields, sleeping in green Icelandic tents, cooking your own food, fetching firewood and making gadgets like a washbag holder, but it was a fantastic experience.
Girlguiding has evolved and been transformed, really,’ she continues. ‘The old sewing badges have gone and been replaced by mixology and vlogging, but I think the formation of Rainbows is really important. They get to play out in the fresh air away from Mum and to learn friendship skills and how to be happy in their own skin.’
In all age groups there are opportunities to blossom and become more independent. Rainbows meet for one hour per week, and get involved in crafts and games, but have their own special badges, such as the family tree or helper badge. They go on overnights – 23 hours away from home in a facility or village hall, although most of the time is spent trying to get to sleep! Brownies from seven to 10 go to a facility normally for three to four nights, and participate in games and tasks, which helps build teamwork. They also visit activity centres,
