smallhobbit (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
smallhobbit) wrote2014-02-20 06:15 pm
smallhobbit) wrote2014-02-20 06:15 pm
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Where have all the Brownies gone?
Our numbers have fallen again. The fact that a few have left doesn’t bother us so much – there’s normally leavers for various reasons: moving onto Guides, additional swimming/karate nights for those who are becoming more committed to a sport, change in family circumstances etc. What does concern us is that no-one is joining us. Traditionally girls would move up from Rainbows to Brownies when they reach their seventh birthday but we presume that at the moment they are going to a different Brownie pack.
We are the only Brownie pack in the middle of a large, and growing, housing estate. There are more established packs in the more established parts around us. There are families moving in, and there must be a lot of girls who could join. A second primary school was opened last September, so no shortage of children. I think the problem is two pronged: one, no-one knows we meet and two, the families haven’t particularly considered Brownies as an option.
We meet in an old community centre (a relic of when the whole area was occupied by the RAF), which no-one goes to unless they have to. The building feels like it’s falling down around our ears, it’s cold, the plaster is coming off the walls and it gives off an air of total neglect. Next autumn there should be a new community centre, being built near to one of the primary schools. We’ll be moving in there and once the centre is up and running and used by the community our posters should draw attention to ourselves.
In the meantime we do our best. I’ve put a poster up in the large supermarket (Tescos) in the area I live in. I went into the brand new supermarket that is in the middle of the new development, but they have no community noticeboard. I enquired and was told, by two very lovely ladies “we don’t know when we’re getting one and we’ve just got a new manager so it’ll probably be even longer” – way to go, Asda. I’ve written an article for the local free magazine that goes to every home in both areas. Brown Owl is going to ask to put up posters in the schools. I’ll see if the fish and chip shop will put one up. And I might try the local library (if it’s ever open when I’m not at work – maybe I could ask my mother do that).
So we shall see what happens. The girls that come are enthusiastic and it’s great to see them growing in ability, in confidence, to see some of them become good leaders and to see others, painfully shy when they joined blossoming and taking part in everything. I think coming to Brownies can offer benefits that they won’t get elsewhere, we just need to get the message out to the girls around.
We are the only Brownie pack in the middle of a large, and growing, housing estate. There are more established packs in the more established parts around us. There are families moving in, and there must be a lot of girls who could join. A second primary school was opened last September, so no shortage of children. I think the problem is two pronged: one, no-one knows we meet and two, the families haven’t particularly considered Brownies as an option.
We meet in an old community centre (a relic of when the whole area was occupied by the RAF), which no-one goes to unless they have to. The building feels like it’s falling down around our ears, it’s cold, the plaster is coming off the walls and it gives off an air of total neglect. Next autumn there should be a new community centre, being built near to one of the primary schools. We’ll be moving in there and once the centre is up and running and used by the community our posters should draw attention to ourselves.
In the meantime we do our best. I’ve put a poster up in the large supermarket (Tescos) in the area I live in. I went into the brand new supermarket that is in the middle of the new development, but they have no community noticeboard. I enquired and was told, by two very lovely ladies “we don’t know when we’re getting one and we’ve just got a new manager so it’ll probably be even longer” – way to go, Asda. I’ve written an article for the local free magazine that goes to every home in both areas. Brown Owl is going to ask to put up posters in the schools. I’ll see if the fish and chip shop will put one up. And I might try the local library (if it’s ever open when I’m not at work – maybe I could ask my mother do that).
So we shall see what happens. The girls that come are enthusiastic and it’s great to see them growing in ability, in confidence, to see some of them become good leaders and to see others, painfully shy when they joined blossoming and taking part in everything. I think coming to Brownies can offer benefits that they won’t get elsewhere, we just need to get the message out to the girls around.