Many people may think that because there is so much to do here, few children would be interested in joining the Guiding movement. They would be wrong. True, there is a lot on offer, but the majority of parents here simply cannot afford the various leisure activities that London has to offer. The cost of Guiding still remains relatively cheap.

So what are the advantages and disadvantages of Guiding in London?

Well the advantages are easy to list. Anywhere within the M25 is only a short train ride away from the centre of the city. Museums are plentiful and many of them are free to children. We can make a half-day trip to one, unlike people in other parts of the country for whom a trip to London means a long coach journey. Tube fare for a group of children is 80p per child, combine that with free entry to a museum and we have a cheap, interesting and educational trip out.

Many major Guiding Events take place in the capital. Last year The Big Gig was attended by thousands of Guides throughout the country. However there were also thousands who were disappointed that they couldn't attend due to high transport costs and distance involved. Our Guides were very lucky - one short train journey at reduced fare and they were there.

My Brownies have the best of both worlds. We are in Uxbridge, just within the M25, on what is known as "the green belt". We can be in the city centre in less than an hour, but the countryside is only a few minutes away. We are never stuck for places to visit and we have a fantastic variety of choice.

Of course, there are disadvantages to Guiding in London. For those members who live much closer to the city, they are very limited to the type of outdoor activities that they can do.

A Guide company in Islington were very au fait with the latest events in the city, but not one member had ever put up a tent or been camping in their lives. They had no facilities for nature walks or any country activities.

Another disadvantage can be premises - both lack of and cost of. There are very few suitable buildings that can be used for Guiding close to the city centre, and those that are suitable charge extortionate rent. Most of the weekly subscriptions are often spent on renting premises for weekly meetings and there is very little money left over for other activities.

Traffic can be another disadvantage. Trying to get 24 Brownies across a busy road can be a total nightmare. Many drivers here have little regard for zebra crossings and seem to think they are taking part in a high-speed car chase. Last year we took a pack of Brownies to London Zoo for the day. Now London Zoo does not have a very close underground station and we had a few roads to cross. The Guiders ended up having to stand in the middle of the road with our arms outstretched just to stop the traffic. The pavements were very busy too - and it was difficult to keep all the Brownies walking in "crocodile fashion", as they were often forced onto the road by a lot of rather ignorant shoppers who didn't have the patience to stand to one side whilst we walked past.

I have been a Guider for approximately 12 years now, in various parts of the country. London is definitely my favourite place to be a Guider. There is so much that we can offer the children that couldn't be offered in other parts of the country and I feel that the children really benefit from it all.

Copyright © 2002 by Sue Collins. All Rights Reserved

Return to Home Page