Brunswick Heads Girl Guides leader Deanna Bowen-Sudmals says Guides is an empowering place for the women of the future – the group is currently looking for two extra leaders to help girls on their journey.
Deanna says COVID made holding Guides meetings tricky but they were making their way back to being a thriving group when the floods hit. Now, she says, it’s time to get back to enjoying Guiding.
‘We need two leaders to run the unit. In recent times I have kept the unit running by myself with the assistance of rotating parent helpers, but when we do not have a parent helper we have to cancel the meeting – another adult is needed for safety reasons.’
First COVID then floods
Deanna says post-COVID the group had interest from potential unit helpers/leaders, however, the floods had an impact on attracting new leaders. ‘We are attracting more membership from girls, but need adult leaders to run the unit.’
Guides covers three age groups – Junior Guides (7–9 previously known as Brownies), Guides (10–14) and Senior Guides (14-17)
Deanna says that previously Brunswick Heads Guides covered all three groups, but several years ago the Junior unit had to close due to lack of leadership. ‘The Brunswick Unit now offers Guides and Senior Guides. With more leadership involvement in the future, all three groups may be able to operate.
Guides units are very active
Deanna says Guides are very active and that this year alone the Brunswick unit has travelled to Victoria for the Australian Jamboree (with over 1,800 attendees), engaged in several outdoor camps, and has enjoyed other adventure activities including archery and outdoor cooking and campfires).
‘Several of our girls are travelling by train in August to attend the ‘Great Guide Sleepover’ at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, which is a fabulous opportunity to camp under the stars and meet girls from all over the State.’
If women would like to join Guides, but are not interested in becoming leaders, there are roles for unit helpers that are positions that do not require people going through the process of becoming an official Girl Guide leader – women can still help out at meetings and events.
Anyone interested in leadership or becoming a unit helper, they can contact Deanna at: [email protected] or find the Facebook page: Brunswick Heads Girl Guides.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
