PRESS
RELEASE
For immediate release
November 15
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS CATCH A GLIMPSE OF GIRLGUIDING
LaSER FLOAT DURING LORD MAYOR’S SHOW
Girls and Leaders from the County of Greater
London West, which covers the boroughs of Kingston, Merton,
Richmond and Sutton, had the privilege of representing the guiding
Region of London and South East England (LaSER) in the Lord Mayor’s
Show last Saturday (12 November).
Eighty members of all ages – including
Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Senior Section, leaders and Trefoil
Guild members had an amazing experience on the day and all were
dressed smartly and proud to be representing guiding to the world.
Loud music and bubbles streamed from the float and the girls
performed routines with pom-poms and waved to the estimated 400,000
people lining the streets.
Suggestions for the float design were
submitted by the girls and an international theme of ‘10 million
girls around the world’- representing the worldwide membership of
guiding, was selected.
In order for all 6000 girls and
Leaders in the County to take an active part, they were invited to
send in paper cut outs of their hands which were transformed on the
float into a peace dove.
‘People’ templates were also coloured with
international uniforms of Rainbows, Brownies and Guides from around
the world, and they were displayed on a banner and around the
plinths of the float.
With a giant trefoil and an inflated globe
surrounded by Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior Section holding
hands; our float design was finalised.
After nine years of taking part in the parade,
the guiding float was featured by the BBC and Charlotte, a Guide
from Cheam, was interviewed live by Clare Balding and stated how
much fun she has as a Guide, going camping and doing lots of other
activities and making new friends.
The weather stayed dry and was even too warm
for the brisk walk with the float. It was summed up by several of
the girls who all echoed the same response: "An amazing day
- we'll remember it forever".
The Lord Mayor’s Show follows a route over
three miles in length and dates back nearly 800 years.
The theme for this year’s parade, as chosen by
Lord Mayor David Wooten, was ‘Fit for the Future’.
Girlguiding UK members in the county have had
the opportunity to work towards a Lord Mayor’s Show 2011 Challenge
Badge over the last few months, which includes a range of
activities designed to increase their knowledge and awareness of
London and its history.
Girlguiding London & South East England
has entered a float in the parade for the last nine years, and each
year one of the Region’s 19 Counties takes a turn to design and
build the float.
- ENDS -
For further information, please contact Jim Ranger
on 020 7592 1733, or email jim.ranger@girlguiding.org.uk.
More information on Girlguiding UK can be found at
http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Girlguiding UK is the UK’s largest voluntary
organisation for girls and young women, with around 530,000 members
and recognised volunteers. Over a third of girls and young women
(aged 7-21) are involved in guiding, or have been in the past and
almost half of all the women in the UK have been involved in
guiding at some stage in their lives. We run Rainbows (5-7
years), Brownies (7-10 years), Guides (10-14 years) and Senior
Section (14-25 years), enabling girls and young women to develop
their potential whatever their ability or background. We are
striving to offer new opportunities to a broad diversity of
communities through our expanding network of over 61,000 trained
volunteer Leaders.
At Girlguiding UK we seek to give girls a
voice and provide a unique, girl-only space where members feel
comfortable just being themselves. Our members, challenged by a
girl-led programme that extends beyond badges, enjoy a spectrum of
activities from international travel and outdoor adventure to
pop-concerts and community action.
Girlguiding UK, part of a worldwide Movement
of approximately 10 million girls and young women in 145 countries,
celebrated its Centenary in 2010. Registered Charity No:
306016. www.girlguiding.org.uk