THREE generations of a family in Kings Worthy have joined the campaign to save one of Girlguiding’s most treasured sites.
Queen’s Guide Sally Haigh, 80, daughter-in-law Isabelle and 15-year-old granddaughter Amelie cannot believe that New Forest Girlguiding activity site, Foxlease, will be put up for sale by Girlguiding Trustees next year.
Built in Tudor times, Foxlease, near Lyndhurst, was gifted to the Girl Guide movement in 1922 by Princess Mary, with the main house being renamed after her.
Over the last 100 years, thousands of girls have benefitted from the centre, visiting for International Camps, weekend residentials, day trips and celebrations. Other organisations that use the venue include school camps, Scouts and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.
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Kings Worthy Guides leader, Isabelle Haigh, said: “When we received this unexpected news from HQ, we were all utterly bereft. I have been a leader in Hampshire West for more than 20 years and visited Foxlease on multiple occasions.
“Foxlease is a place where units come together and realise Girlguiding is an international movement, it is a place where girls explore freely and safely in the countryside. It is a place where long lasting friendships are made and girls get the chance to just be girls. It is a place of challenge and adventure.
“Entering the driveway to Foxlease you get a sense of calm. It is a place I have been my most exhausted camping with girls but also my most happiest. It is a place where I can be myself with my amazing Guiding colleagues, sharing our passion for the outdoors and adventure with the next generation. It is a place I have introduced my daughter and seen her grow in confidence and shared her joy.”
Isabelle’s mother-in-law, Sally, remembers camps at Foxlease from when she was a girl 65 years ago and worries that taking it away will poorly impact young people’s mental health.
She said: “I can’t imagine not having Foxlease. We need more sites like this, not less of them.”
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Amelie’s most treasured memory of Foxlease is ‘Wellies and Wristbands’, a festival-style camp attracting 3,000 girls and leaders for a weekend of dancing, bands and activities.
Amelie, 15, said: “Growing up I was told that everyone in Guiding owned a small part of Foxlease – that it was ours to enjoy and explore. I want to be a Queen’s Guide like my Granny and part of that is volunteering at large-scale events. I am so sad that this opportunity might be taken away from me and I have no say in it."
A Facebook group named “Save OUR Girlguiding Activity Centres” has gained thousands of members, protesting the sale of Foxlease and four other Girlguiding Training and Activity centres that are planned to be closed.
Nearly 30,000 people have signed an online petition and the Haigh family is urging more people to do the same so to push the trustees to reconsider their decision. For more go to change.org/p/girlguiding-uk-to-review-and-reconsider-the-decision-to-sell-the-five-activity-centres.
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