Guiding in the 1960s: 2 good deeds
Looking back at 2 special ‘good turns’ from the decade
Did you spot familiar brown dresses and yellow crossover ties on TV over Christmas?
If you watched the latest Christmas special of BBC’s Call The Midwife, you might have spotted a group of Brownies carol-singing in their late 1960s-style uniforms.
The Brownies featured are wearing badges loaned from the national archive collection. It was really exciting to be involved in a small part of the production and offer advice on how to wear the uniform and badges.’ – Hannah, Girlguiding archivist.
With the episode set in 1969, Brownies like those featured in the episode would have been coming to the end of a very busy decade for Girlguiding! Kicking off with Girlguiding’s Golden Jubilee year, the 60s saw the launch of new uniforms, The Brownie magazine and the Brownies’ Eight Point Programme. Launched in 1968, this programme aimed to develop Brownies who were ‘wide awake’, ‘fit’, ‘doing their best’, ‘friendly’, able to ‘make things’, ‘lend a hand’, ‘help at home’ and ‘have fun outdoors’.
Girlguiding’s Golden Jubilee in 1960 marked 50 years of girls across the country promising to do their best and do a good turn every day. It also marked 50 years of Girlguiding as a pioneering organisation, empowering girls and young women to take action and push for change. 1960s Brownies were no different, so to celebrate their special appearance on our TVs in December, we’re looking back at 2 special ‘good turns’ that girls in guiding spearheaded in the early 1960s.
1960: Girls support World Refugee Year
After the second world war ended in 1945, millions of people across Europe had been forced from their homes by the conflict. Some were concentration camp survivors or prisoners-of-war, others were evacuees or refugees (people forced to flee their homes to find safety elsewhere).
To raise public awareness of those left with nowhere to go, and to find ways to support them to find somewhere to live, the United Nations decided June 1959 – June 1960 would be World Refugee Year. Over 60 countries took part in the campaign to raise money and increase the public’s understanding of refugees’ experiences, including the UK.
Keen to make a difference, Girlguiding units were quick to find creative ways to get involved in the appeal. Raising money to help pay for clothing, food and accommodation, girls organised games evenings, coffee mornings and entertainments like fashion shows for the public. Some counties invited refugee children to join Girlguiding members at camps celebrating the jubilee, or sponsored a child to join a unit by covering the cost of their subs.
To most of you, guiding is one of many interests: but when it is a girl’s only means of feeling she belongs to a group – when she has no school, no proper home, no settled neighbourhood ties, and no citizenship – guiding with its world links can bring salvation to her and her family.’ – Girlguiding’s The Guider magazine, 8 July 1960.
The Guide International Service (GIS) was set up after the second world war to give adult members an opportunity to help refugees. Leaders who joined it were given training and sent out across Europe to do relief work. They helped civilians behind the frontlines, including helping to distribute food and clothing in refugee camps.
During World Refugee Year, the GIS gave leaders advice on how to talk to their units about the experiences of refugees.
They encouraged leaders to talk to girls about what the word ‘refugee’ means, ask them to think about ‘the fun, happiness and security’ of their own homes and free country, and what it means to have no home. The GIS also encouraged members to write to their local MP or council members to share their concern.
In Girlguiding’s annual report for 1960, it was announced that Girlguiding members had raised over £60,000 for the appeal, which is estimated to be equal to over £1 million in today’s money.

1964: Girls fundraise for the new Guide Friendship Fund
The Guide Friendship Fund (GFF) was launched in May 1964 and still exists today. The fund helps overseas Guide Associations by funding projects that improve girls’ lives and benefit their communities. It also helps units or Associations affected by natural disasters or emergencies, and UK units who have applied for a grant.
The May 1964 issue of The Guider included suggestions of projects that could be funded by the GFF. Girlguiding hoped to support Guides in Seychelles to buy musical instruments to start their own band, raise money to provide equipment and uniform for Guides in Swaziland, and to rebuild a Guide building in Hong Kong which had been completely destroyed in a hurricane.
Following its launch in the spring, girls immediately got to work fundraising, encouraged by special stickers that would be sent out as a thank you for giving money. Many units kept money boxes in their meeting places for girls to donate to.
My patrol is working hard to make money for camp, but when we read about the Guide Friendship Fund, we decided to have a Friendship Box, and whenever we put something into our camp fund we try to put something into that. We’ll open our Money-Box before we got to camp and send you the money…’ – The Guider, June 1964.
By 1 August 1964, the total amount of money raised for the fund was £452 and Girlguiding was able to start supporting the projects they told members about in The Guider. £50 was given to the Guide band in Seychelles and £100 was donated to help rebuild the Guide building in Hong Kong.
By the end of January 1965, over £2,000 had been raised which is estimated to be equal to over £33,000 today. £50 was given to Girl Guides in Gambia that spring, to help them pay for camping and cooking equipment.
In July 1969, units sent contributions to the Guide Friendship Fund to raise money for Shelter, a charity that still supports those experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness today.
Girlguiding members raised a total of £325 for Shelter and received a thank you letter published in The Guider in September 1969.
We were really delighted to receive your gift, and yet another family will be rehoused as a result of the Brownies’ and Guides’ generosity. Please accept our sincere thanks – your support is appreciated not only by everyone at Shelter, but also by the family that will be rehoused as a result.’ – Shelter’s letter to Girlguiding, published in The Guider, September 1969.

The Guide Friendship Fund is still helping girls in the UK and overseas today. Read more about the Guide Friendship Fund.
We know so many girls in guiding today are doing their best to do a good turn every day. Do you have special guiding ‘good turn’ you’d like to tell us about? Or a pioneering story from our history that you’d like to share?