For more than 110 years, the Girl Guides and Girls in Scouting have followed a basic principle: respect other people and do your best.
This simple, yet profound principle was hugely important when the scouting movement was launched in 1907 during a camping trip to Brownsea Island. Arguably, it’s even more relevant in 2025.
Each year Girl Guides celebrate these principles during World Thinking Day on 22 February. Girls in Scouting celebrate the same day, but it is referred to as Founder’s Day.
Celebrated since 1926, World Thinking Day is a day of international friendship. It’s also an opportunity to speak out on issues affecting the movement’s 10.8 million members from 153 countries.
The Girl Guide Association
Agnes Baden-Powel
The Girl Guide Association was officially started in 1910 under the leadership of Agnes Baden-Powell – the younger sister of Robert, the founder of the Boy Scout Movement.
The success of the Girl Guide movement grew, and groups sprang up around the globe, from Ireland to New Zealand. In 1928 the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) was formed.
Girl Guiding and Girls in Scouting have gone on to support and empower girls and young women around the world to achieve their fullest potential.
Empowering girls across the county
Of the UK’s more than 300,000 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides or Rangers almost 4,000 are members of Girlguiding Sussex East County.
The group provides a safe space where girls and young woman can be themselves without pressure and judgement. There are also more than 1,000 Girl Guide volunteers in East Sussex.
East Sussex Girlguiding leader Cindy says it’s been privilege being a member of Girlguiding UK for almost 30 years.
‘We try to inspire these girls to believe in themselves and that girls Can Do Anything,’ she says. ‘It’s important to us that we provide a safe space where girls can be themselves without pressure and judgement and their voices are heard.
‘Hopefully this will inspire them to make a difference in their communities however big or small, while at the same time having fun, making friends, having adventures and learning a few life skills on the way.
‘Sadly even in 2025 girls still face pressures and expectations in every area of their lives. They’re limited by gender stereotypes and face barriers to accessing things they need to be happy.’
World Thinking Day
girl guides take part in an activity
World Thinking Day was launched in 1926 to give Girl Guides an annual day to think of each other and express thanks and appreciation for the international movement.
The awareness day is held on 22 February because that’s the birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell and his wife Olave Baden-Powell, who was World Chief Guide.
This year, the theme is ‘Our Story’. Its goal is to reflect on the symbolism and values of WAGGGS and explore what is means to be a Girl Guide – from past to present-day and looking towards the future.
Learn more about World Thinking Day.
Celebrating in East Sussex
Many guiding units in the county will be celebrating in different ways by either joining another unit and doing activities. It will also be a time to reflect and maybe renew promises.
Cindy says: ‘In our units -the 4th Eastbourne Guides and 10th Eastbourne Brownies – we will be lighting candles and thinking of Brownies and Guides throughout the world and taking a look at one of our World Centres, Our Cabana in Mexico.’
Send a penny with your thoughts
The idea of giving presents by fundraising or making a donation to mark the day began in 1932.
Olave Baden-Powell wrote a letter to all Girl Guides and Girls in Scouting to encourage them to “Send a penny with their thoughts” on Thinking Day. Today, that is continued with the World Thinking Day Fund.
Girls in Scouting in East Sussex includes fundraising for charities such a Foodbank and Reysted Centre for Animal Welfare. It also holds group fundraisers to buy equipment to help its members have new experiences they might not have in their everyday lives.
From little acorns…
Antonia with her husband and daughter
In 2021, the youngest Scouts section Squirrels was launched to cater for four-to-six-year-olds.
Antonia is Assistant County Commissioner for Squirrel scouts in the county. She is also a leader at her local group where she’s been for the past 15 years.
Her group has welcomed 50 Squirrel scouts since it started two years ago. The group learns about how scouting began and skills such as pioneering, fire-lighting and cooking on a campfire – skills that were taught 118 years at the initial camp on Brownsea Island.
It’s fair to say scouting is a big part of Antonia’s life and her family’s life.
‘I am proud of being part of a worldwide movement and I take pride in my role of starting the journey of scouting for young people’s,’ says Antonia. ‘The values of scouting are something I am guided by integrity, respect, care, belief and cooperation. Taking care of our earth and our fellow people to make the world a better place for all.’
Antonia believes scouting enriches the lives of young people and volunteers through the opportunities and experiences it offers both in learning new skills and making new friends.
‘I enjoy being part of a young person’s scouting journey, from attending their first campfire to watching their scouting journey, then coming back and volunteering as young leaders and develop into adult leader. I am so proud of them all,’ says Antonia.
‘The basic fundamentals of respecting other people and doing your best will always be relevant weather it is 1907 or 2025.’
How to get involved
If you’ve been inspired to join, or you think your child might enjoy being a member then visit the websites of the Girl Guides and Girls in Scouting to find out more.
More information about volunteering with the guiding or scouting movements is also available on both the Girlguiding and Scouts websites.
