‘Empowering girls to explore the world’ - Nidderdale Girl Guides are back in action after a year of struggles

After a year out of action, Nidderdale Girl Guides are back up and running in the central location of Pateley Bridge.

The youth organisation has moved with modern times and provides many girls with opportunities to build confidence, and “speak out against the issues they care about”.

Girl Guides is the UK's largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, while individual units rely entirely on volunteers.

One year on from “breaking point”, Nidderdale Girl Guide leaders are “excited” about the new wave of girls looking to enrol in the coming weeks.

Anne Harrison, a leader at Nidderdale Guides, said: “About a year ago all the leaders for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides had left.

“It was following Covid when everyone was understandably at a breaking point.

“It's all voluntary so it can be really hard to keep it going.

“We were always known as Pateley Guides, but we understand the Nidderdale title includes surrounding rural areas more, which is important.

“We are now excited to be looking for Rainbows, Brownies and Guides.

“Even the leaders are excited about reforming.

“All the women that are running the Guides and Brownies were in the unit as young girls.

“We do all sorts, like sleepovers, camps, the cinema, lots of outdoor activities but it's more centred around girls, and their development.

“We are spoilt with incredible things to do outdoors in Nidderdale

“It's really about togetherness, empowering girls to explore the world and become more resilient as girls grow into young women.”

The Girl Guides Association is widely known for giving young girls the chance to develop beliefs, find their own voice and be true to themselves, including encouragement to speak out against issues they care about.

She said: “For example, they’ve changed it from serving my country to serving my community.

“So now we’ve become more community based, we want to be involved with it and look to see what we can do to improve it.

“We are hoping to deliver some random acts of kindness near Christmas.”