‘Save Girlguiding overseas’ Melksham volunteers launch campaign

TWO of Melksham’s long-standing volunteers for Guiding have started a campaign to overturn plans to axe British Girlguiding Overseas (BGO). 

As part of their campaign, they have created a petition and written a letter His Majesty King Charles III, all heads of the Armed Forces, BGO trustees, the Chief Executive of Guides, and MP Michelle Donelan to gain their support.

Christine and John Glover, both dedicated members of British Girlguiding, are challenging the decision by the Girlguiding organisation to end their support for British Girlguiding Overseas on 1st September. The decision will mean that many Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers packs on military bases and in expat communities across the world will no longer be able to operate.

BGO units are based in 36 countries as far-flung as the Falklands and Singapore and enable British girls living overseas to attend a British Guiding unit, when it is not possible for language or cultural reasons, for them to attend a local organisation.

Christine, who is a Guide leader at Steeple Ashton and Chair of the Friends of BGO, said, “These units have been supported by the UK Armed Forces at previous and current overseas bases, and are still around the world in places where expatriates are employed with their families, sometimes in difficult locations for young girls.

“As you can imagine this has had a huge detrimental effect on all the guides, especially for many of them who had only just started to meet face-to-face after Covid.

“We are challenging this decision to close these British overseas units and have written to His Majesty and all heads of the Armed Forces. Separate action is going on elsewhere. We cannot fully understand the reasons why, although we have asked and keep asking.

“We are concerned that our members overseas will be left high and dry. For some countries Guiding is the main activity of the children of the British expatriate community.

“After just getting back to some form of normal life, the closure of this child-centred movement has a real detrimental impact on the wellbeing and mental health of these young girls in overseas locations. Our concerns are that their mental wellbeing will be affected yet again not just for those whose parents are in the forces but those who work in isolated or different cultural areas.

“We are challenging the Girlguiding trustees and chief executive officer’s decision to close all overseas units. We have a petition that is going well and we are urging all members to write or e-mail Girlguiding HQ asking questions as to why this decision has been taken, (given the Scouts have similar units overseas), and asking them to reconsider.”

Christine has first-hand knowledge of how important these Overseas units are after running Brownies and Guides in HQ British Forces Rhinedahlen in Germany, being country secretary for British Guides in Germany (BGIG) and a leader in Saudi Arabia. John was also country treasurer for BGIG while, since returning to the UK, Christine has been a guide leader and district commissioner.

In a statement about the closure, Girlguiding’s board of trustees said, “The decision was made based on the organisation’s future ability to run an overseas operation in 36 countries and territories, each with separate laws and regulations.

“BGO (and guiding for girls who live in British Overseas Territories) has been a valued part of Girlguiding UK for much of our 113-year history, with thousands of incredible volunteers providing fun, friendship and adventure for girls who are living overseas.

“We want to emphasise that this decision is nothing to do with the quality of the experiences that volunteers have been providing for girls. We also want to thank everyone involved in running and supporting this wide-reaching operation. Everyone is part of our long and rich history, and we want to support girls and volunteers living overseas to continue to be part of guiding in new ways in the future.”

Out of the letters sent so far, Michelle Donelan has responded to support the campaign. To sign the petition visit, www.change.org/ p/uk-girlguiding-to-re-examine-their-decision-to-cease-all-guiding-overseas or email, enquiries.bgo@ girlguiding.org.uk

Picture – John and Christine Glover, who have started the petition