Dear Sir, As we enter a new year – a new decade in fact – your readers will undoubtedly recognise Girlguiding UK as a modern and girl-led dynamic organisation, relevant to today’s girls – or will they?

Guiding has been around for a long time – 100 years in fact – and many people will naturally remember it as it was in their youth, not realising how it has moved with the times to remain appealing to the modern girl.

Guiding in Birmingham continues to give girls and young women the skills, experiences and opportunities they need to reach new goals and succeed in the modern world, as well as having fun and building friendships at the same time.

This is in fact nothing new. Throughout our existence we’ve touched the lives of countless girls and young women, remaining the largest voluntary youth organisation in the country with over half a million members. In fact, half the UK female population has at some point in time been involved in guiding.

In September, our Centenary celebrations began in Birmingham and also right across the UK with those celebrations lasting right up until October 2010.

A host of exciting and diverse activities from days out at theme parks like Alton Towers to a three-week expedition to the Falkland Islands will be open to our members to help them celebrate this once in a lifetime occasion.

There really is no better time for girls and women from Birmingham to become involved in guiding and help contribute to tomorrow’s young women, whether it be a young five-year-old girl joining her local Rainbow group or a mum volunteering to become a Guide Leader.

To find out more about guiding in Birmingham call 0800 1 69 59 01 or email join.us@girlguiding.org.uk.

Lesley Knighton,
Chief Commissioner,
Girlguiding Midlands.