The Salvation Army Chatham

The 7th Chatham (Salvation Army) Brownies meet on Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm to 8.00pm in term-time at the Salvation Army Hall, Church Street, Chatham.

The Brownie Pack is open to girls aged 7 to 10 years.

The 7th Chatham (Salvation Army) Guides meet on Friday evenings from 7pm to 8.45pm in term-time at the same venue. The Guide Company is open to girls aged 10 to 14 years.

Guide Association warranted leaders, with a non uniformed helper at Brownies, run both units.

Each girl is expected to make the Promise during her time in the unit. The Promise Ceremony includes the presentation of the Promise badge & their personal record book appropriate to their age. Some Promise Ceremonies have been held by candlelight, others have been at outdoor events such as camp or a picnic.

The units run a varied programme based upon the Guide Association essentials of working together in groups, caring for the individual and decision making by the units but most importantly trying to ensure that developing or learning new skills and trying new activities is FUN. The Brownies & Guides are encouraged to take a full part in planning unit activities. Recent activities have included craft sessions, cookery nights, First Aid training (leading to the Guide badge) and games. During the summer term the girls spend a number of meetings ‘out and about’ and plans include a picnic, a town trail and, for guides, a cookout at the local campsite. Here are some photos taken at a picnic held recently at Riverside Country Park, Gillingham.

The Brownies and Guides are encouraged to take part in District, Division & County events including camps and challenge days. The Guide unit usually tries to camp at least once a year either locally, for a weekend, or to take part in large camps organised by the Guide Division, The Salvation Army or Kent West County. The Brownies usually have the opportunity, once a year, to go on a Pack Holiday in Kent. Both Brownies and Guides have done sleepovers in the Hall on various themes including a ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’

Both units are also members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS). Units are asked to include international aspects of Guiding in their programme during the year. Various countries have formed the basis of international activity evenings including cookie making from the USA and black and white paper craft from Switzerland and our 2008 ‘Thinking Day’ joint meeting saw us learning more about France. The Brownies then further developed their international knowledge of Guiding by completing their World Guiding badges during March and April (click here for ‘Brownies and Guides are World Thinkers!’). Both units have taken part in fundraising for Guide Association projects both in the UK (click here for ‘Brownies make Brownies’ details and pictures) and for overseas projects (Montserrat) to encourage the girls to think how they can help develop Guiding for all.

2007 saw the 50th anniversary of the Paxwood Guide Association site at Wilmington. A number of the Brownies and Guides were awarded the Paxwood 50 Challenge Badge on completion of the Paxwood Challenge having gained points from taking part in a picnic and sleeping at the campsite in a district sleepover event. Lots of fun activities have been tried whilst completing the challenge but also this has been an opportunity to learn more about British countryside including wildflowers, birds and butterflies.

The Guide Association has recently brought out a new resource called ‘Aim HI’. ‘HI’ standing for healthy individual. The Brownies and Guides are completing a selection of challenges from the component elements: head for emotion; body for food and nutrition and legs for physical activity. The girls have to complete activities from each element to be awarded the badge.

Activities completed so far include ‘compliments for free’ by the Brownies where each Brownie had to write something they like about the other Brownies in the pack and some running about games. The Guides have done ‘Wanted; A buddy’ posters describing the qualities they look for in friends and an evening making decorative salads using fresh ingredients. Future activities planned for include a town trail for both units, new games and salad making by the Brownies.

On 1st July 2009 the 7th Chatham Salvation Army Brownie and Guide units celebrated 50 years having been registered on this date in 1959. A special church parade was held in recognition and a number of the group presented poems and prayers written to mark thoe occasion.

Girls of the relevant age are welcome to come and experience what we have to offer. If you would like further information please CONTACT US. You may also contact Deborah Hall on 01634 848706.