SCGS Brownies: Pen Pal Exchange with 34th Oldham Brownies from England, UK

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Pen Pal Exchange with 34th Oldham Brownies from England, UK

In March 2009, we sent a package to the 34th Oldham Brownies in England. After a year long wait, we finally received a reply from them! Look at what we have sent them last year:

Mini Trefoils

Symbol of Singapore Pins

Pencils with Peranakan Design

Pamphlet & Postcard

Chocolate Mint Cookies

GGS First Day Cover

Magnet & 90th Anniversay Patch

Name Tape & Friendship Patch

These are what the 34th Oldham Brownies have sent us:

The Standard

Alice Brehens was a very special person, particulary in the early days of the Guide Movement in UK. In 1915, Lord Baden Powell called upon Alice to be the first Chief Commissioner. She went all over England encouraging Guiders and drawing more people in to the ranks, to build up the movement. She knew the Guiders needed leadership and training and she took on the role of 'Head of Training'. In 1917, she took special care of the Senior Guides. In 1919, Miss Alice Behrens was awarded Silver Fish. Whilst all this was going on, she was still acting as County Commissioner for Lancashire. She then went to Australia, New Zealand, Cananda and South Africa to train and inspire the Guiders. On her return in 1926, the County Standard of South East Lancashire was presented to Alice.

The Standard shows the Trefoil - the emblem of the Girl Guides, the Red Rose - the emblem of Lancashire, and around the edge are 18 small roses and trefoils denoting the 18 Divisions of the County at that time, and being all the same size symbolising the unity of the whole. Across the Standard are the words "ESSE QUAM VIDERI" which means 'to be rather than to seem' and was the Behrens family motto.