The month kicked off with Rona attending Girlguiding Wirral’s Thinking Day Event; arriving ready to dive in with enthusiasm with her trusty dancing shoes! She spent the day connecting with volunteers and young members – soaking in conversations about all the inspiring things happening across the county. It truly was a fantastic start to the month highlighting the vibrant spirit of our Girlguiding community.
Next up was The Future is Us Youth Conference, where Rona, Tracey and Kelly joined the event for its second consecutive year in celebration of International Women’s Day. Once again, our young members blew us away with their creative ideas and infectious enthusiasm, offering fresh perspectives for the Chiefs to carry forward. The chiefs listened intently, scribbling notes that will help shape the future of the region.
Tracey then attended the Region Award Committee meeting, where stories of inspiring nominees and proud achievements took centre stage. This month, we were thrilled to see three Region Chiefs Awards presented: congratulations to Claire Montado (Girlguiding Gibraltar), Lily Lloyd (Girlguiding Cumbria South) – our youngest ever volunteer to receive this award – and Vicki Noble (Girlguiding Cumbria South). Their dedication is simply legendary and their impact immense. We’re delighted to celebrate their achievements and contributions.
March also featured Tracey chairing the first Region Operations Board meeting of this year. This meeting brought updates from all corners of our operations – adventure, growth, marketing & communications, and rewarding, flexible volunteering. Each team has exciting events and activities lined up for the rest of the year ahead and beyond. We also gave a warm welcome to new and incoming county commissioners and staff members.
The month wasn’t all meetings. Tracey took in the Gang Show at Marple (Girlguiding Stockport), enjoying an evening of dazzling talent and sparkle. The Gang Show proved once again that Girlguiding boasts more hidden stars than the night sky.
Cityscapes Manchester was buzzing with activity as Tracey and Kelly supported this unique event. On Saturday, Tracey helped Kelly welcome participants to the central hub, where everyone learned how to make origami bees and collected their badges. On Sunday, Tracey juggled her Deputy Region Chief role with her unit responsibilities, showing just how manageable—and rewarding—that balance can be. Sally Kettle, Deputy Chief Guide (also known as the Princess of Girlguiding), joined Sunday’s festivities, cheering on participants and resisting the urge to adopt every unit she met.
March’s final weekend was a marathon of activity, all happening on the same day. Rona, Tracey and Kelly managed to squeeze in their quarterly strategic and operational catch-up meeting on the road, whilst driving to visit the 2027 international trip participants and leaders at Guys Farm Activity Centre, where the excitement was palpable. They then attended the Queen’s Guide Award Celebration event in Lancaster, where the stories from Queen’s Guide Award recipients were truly inspiring. Sally Kettle returned to our Region to entertain everyone with tales of adventure, and to congratulate all the awardees, celebrating their achievements.
Huge congratulations to everyone who will be offered a place in one of the international trips and to every person who celebrated their Queen’s Guide Award!
Rona and Tracey have spent March doing an amazing job of running the region – being everywhere, supporting everyone, and keeping their spirits high even when their calendars looked like a game of Tetris.
We can’t wait to see what April has in store!
