Wednesday 29 February 2012

Leap year - Do something great with your extra day

This year, 2012, is a leap year which means in 2012, we all have an extra day, what a gift!  What will you choose to do with yours?


Girlguiding is the United Kingdom's largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women, with around half a million members.  In my district alone (Wellington) there are 3 Rainbow Units, 5 Brownie Units, 3 Guide Units, and 1 Ranger Unit, providing guiding to over 250 girls, with more on waiting lists.


A recent census of Girlguiding UK members counted 538,247 members in total.  There are around 80,000 volunteers who give their time to help girls reach their potential, but with around 44,000 girls on waiting lists additional volunteers are always needed.

Last Wednesday, 22nd February, was Thinking Day and Girlguiding Members across the world joined together for celebrations.  Locally we held an indoor campfire (no actual flames involved!) and sang all our favourite camp fire songs.

Hundreds of girls from Wrekin Divison enjoy a Thinking Day Celebration
Guiding offers many opportunities for adults and children, whether it is events like this, camps, learning a new skill, unique travel chances or making new friends.  Girlguiding provides something special to each member and is a wonderful, worldwide family to be a part of.

You may think you don't have time to volunteer with guiding, but it doesn't have to be every week, Girlguiding UK run a 12 hour challenge encouraging people to volunteer as little or as often as they can, it's amazing what a difference 12 hours can make to your local guiding groups, and this year you've just been given 24 of them.  I'll leave the maths to you!

More information on volunteering with Girlguiding UK can be found on their website where you register your interest in volunteering with a group near you.

Information for parents/carers looking for groups in their area can also be found on the website.

Volunteer with Girlguiding and help girls and young women to shine!
V






Tuesday 28 February 2012

Busy Bee Candles

I stumbled across Busy Bee Candles on twitter a while ago when someone re-tweeted a comp they were running and as I like candles, I like bees and I like Wales, I gave their website more than a cursory glance!  But it's fragrance, how much can you tell from a written description, is it really worth taking the risk without having a good old whiff in person?  Well when they had a 30% off promotion some time ago I decided the risk was worth it and possibly went a little overboard.

I ordered eight of their mini me candles.  When I started trying to choose scents it became very difficult, and since the postage was a standard price I didn't want to order just a couple and pay almost as much in postage.  This was a good decision.

The candles smell fabulous, and they look pretty cute in their hexagon jars I shall definitely be ordering some larger versions of some of the scents.



Here is what I ordered and (after finally trying out all of them!) my thoughts on the scents.


Saturday 25 February 2012

A messenger hat for charter day

Today in Wellington was Charter Day, a celebration of the town's earliest recorded market charter, granted by King Henry III eight centuries ago.  The charter document at the National Archives in London is dated 29th February 1244 so local heritage group Wellington H2A had the idea to celebrate the last Saturday in February as Charter Day.


This year was the first of these celebrations and there was a great get together in the square, there was music from the Wellington brass band, the Kings Messenger arrived on horseback to read the charter, and the ancient manor court ceremonially appointed a market clerk and a new ale taster for the year ahead.


I had been asked to make a hat for the messenger to wear for the occasion, which was exciting as I have never really made hats before, but is something I keep wanting to have a go at.  Here is the hat in action!


The King's Messenger presenting the charter
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