Grant supports Girlguiding across South West
Girlguiding Bristol and South Gloucestershire (BSG) has received £13,875 through National Grid’s Hinkley Connection Community Grant Fund. The funding has been used to hire development workers and to help units and parents afford confidence boosting activities for girls and young women.
For over 100 years, Girlguiding has provided girls and young women in Bristol and South Gloucestershire with defining experiences that help shape their adult lives. However, increasing costs over the last few years have put pressure on local units that rely on donations and small membership fees to operate.
National Grid’s funding has relieved the financial pressure from many units across the Hinkley Connection route and allowed them to continue delivering valuable, confidence boosting activities.
Girlguiding Bristol and South Gloucestershire has given so much to the community over the last 100 years.
So far, 25 units in the Hinkley Connection project area have benefitted from the funding.
A Rainbow unit in Severnvale was able to cover its rent after 8 girls moved up to Brownies. This allowed the unit to stay open while seeking new members.
The grant also helped the unit secure places on an upcoming activity day in June 2024 as many parents were unable to afford the deposit before Christmas.
Girlguiding BSG County Commissioner Lorna Lee said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this funding from the National Grid Community Grant Programme. It has enabled us to support our units at a challenging time.
Post-lockdown, it has become even more vital that the opportunities Girlguiding provides are made widely accessible to girls and young women.
The activities run by our volunteer leaders offer girls friendship, a sense of community, self-confidence and - above all - fun, in a safe and secure environment”.
Part of National Grid’s funding was also used to hire development workers that help volunteers get involved in Girlguiding and allow more places to be offered to girls.
Volunteers are essential to the day to day delivery of Girlguiding units. They help run and plan the activities as well as leading girls across all age groups.
Development workers Jo and Stacy were hired as a result of National Grid funding and commented on their experiences so far:
“Since starting out we have supported a wave of new volunteers to get involved in making great experiences for girls. Whether that’s directly in the unit helping out, running activities and leading the girls or by helping leaders behind the scenes with all the organisation and preparation that goes into making these great experiences.
Being involved in Girlguiding in Bristol and South Gloucestershire is just as beneficial to the women and men that come forward and it has been wonderful to bring more people into volunteering.
Where units have had to close we’ve supported volunteers from them to find roles in other units, which helps to ensure their sustainability going forward.”
Hinkley Connection Community Grant Fund has awarded over £1.5 million to 85 local initiatives in towns and villages impacted by construction activity to date.
Hinkley Connection Project Director Steven Haskayne commented:
“Girlguiding Bristol and South Gloucestershire has given so much to the community over the last 100 years. It is fantastic to hear how our funding has helped local units continue their vital work providing young women and girls with the skills and confidence to thrive”.
