Latest news with #GirlGuide
The Citizen
24-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Boksburg Brownies turn fun into future leadership
Two Boksburg Brownies prove that leadership, courage and creativity begin with a sash and a spark. Through Girl Guides South Africa, eight-year-olds Caylin Trautmann and Sipho Zwane, both from Parkdene, are blossoming into confident, kind and capable leaders of tomorrow. According to Colleen Walker, a dedicated leader of the Boksburg Brownies, Brownies are a vital part of the Girl Guides movement for girls aged seven to 11. 'It's a space where girls explore the world around them, learn practical life skills, embrace teamwork and grow in confidence, all while having loads of fun. 'Brownies are encouraged to be curious, kind, brave and helpful. Each badge earned and skill learnt brings them one step closer to becoming thoughtful, empowered young leaders.' Also Read: Boksburg Girl Guides embrace change with Cloete As members of this global sisterhood, Caylin and Sipho are part of a movement that has inspired generations of girls in SA and across the world for over 100 years. Caylin began her Guiding journey as a Teddie, the Girl Guide age group for four- to six-year-olds, in April 2022. Today, she proudly wears her Brownie sash over her right shoulder. 'I love being a Brownie. We're always learning new and interesting things. My favourites are science experiments and arts and crafts.' But for Caylin, Brownies is more than just activities; it's a journey of self-discovery. 'At Brownies, we learn how to be good people in our community. We grow by helping others, learning life skills and making new friends. Most importantly, Brownies gives girls the power to speak up. We definitely have a voice, and together, we can be heard.' Sipho Zwane, a Teddie in 2023 who has now moved up to Brownies, shares the same enthusiasm. 'I'm loving every minute of it. My favourite was making a no-sew beanie. 'I've learned so many new things and had a lot of fun with my friends.' Sipho's confidence has soared, too. 'I used to be shy, but not anymore. Now, I speak up and look forward to Brownies every single week.' Both girls encourage others to experience the magic for themselves: 'Come and see what Guiding is all about.' To learn more and join them, contact Colleen on 082 372 6582 or [email protected] Also Read: Girl guides enjoy complimentary Spur meal
Scotsman
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Broxburn Academy student awarded Westminster internship in memory of Robin Cook
A Broxburn Academy pupil has been selected as the first ever recipient of a prestigious new internship in memory of the late Foreign Secretary and former Livingston MP, Robin Cook. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Lena Zielinska, a senior pupil at Broxburn Academy, was chosen following a highly competitive selection process to take part in the Robin Cook Internship, a paid summer placement established by current Livingston MP Gregor Poynton to mark the 20th anniversary of Cook's passing. The internship, which runs over two weeks this summer, will see Lena gain first-hand experience of the work of an MP both in Westminster and at Gregor Poynton's constituency office in Craigshill. During her time in Parliament, Lena will attend meetings with senior politicians and officials, observe committee work, and support research, casework and campaigning activity. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lena secured the internship after submitting a written essay on 'Livingston's Place in the World' and attending a formal interview. She was selected from a pool of over a dozen strong applicants from schools across the constituency. Gregor Poynton MP with Broxburn Academy pupil Lena Zielinska who has been awarded the first Robin Cook internship. As well as academic excellence, Lena is a champion debater and has represented Broxburn Academy in the Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament, Scotland's national debating competition for schools. She is also an active member of the school's STEM Committee, helps lead wellbeing and fundraising initiatives, and has volunteered with the NSPCC. She is a Girl Guide, a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award holder, and a fluent Polish speaker currently studying for Highers in English, History, Modern Studies, RMPS and Maths. Speaking after the announcement, Gregor Poynton MP said: 'Robin Cook was a towering figure in British politics and a hugely respected local MP. This internship honours his commitment to internationalism and public service and Lena reflects all of those values. She's thoughtful, articulate, passionate about her community, and I'm thrilled to have her join the team this summer.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Lena Zielinska added: 'I'm absolutely delighted to have been selected for the Robin Cook Internship. It's a tremendous opportunity for young people like me to learn more about politics and the work of an MP, both here in Livingston and at Westminster. I can't wait to get started and to gain experience that I know will stay with me for years to come.' Unsuccessful applicants were also invited to attend a special Q&A session with Gregor Poynton MP on Friday 11 July at his constituency office in Craigshill, where they had the opportunity to learn more about the workings of Parliament and meet the wider constituency team. The Robin Cook Internship pays the Real Living Wage and is open annually to S5 and S6 pupils across the Livingston constituency. It is expected to run again in summer 2026.
Scotsman
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Y2K Dreams, 90s Nightmares and Pop-Culture Chaos: The Nostalgic Edinburgh Fringe Shows Everyone's Talking About
This year's Edinburgh theatre scene is dripping in nostalgia - but not the sugar-coated kind. Think 90s car sales gone wrong, the heartbreak of childhood stanning, and the raw chaos of growing up in a world that's changing fast. These are the shows already lighting up the buzz lists before the critics even get their pens out. From campy comedy to gut-punch drama, here's what to catch. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Strongest Girl in the World -The Y2K Coming-of-Age Story That'll Break Your Heart Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Snug), 30 July – 25 August (not 12, 19) | 14:20 Campfire songs, Girl Guide badges and the impossible task of staying strong when your world falls apart. A bittersweet solo show set against the backdrop of noughties summers — raw, funny and moving. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Poetess -Viral Fame Meets 90s Feels in This Poetic Stage Debut Pleasance Dome (Jack Dome), 30 July – 25 August | 11:55 Golden Time (and Other Behavioural Management Strategies) Olivia Dodd's typewriter poetry goes from viral hit to heartfelt stage show. A tribute to grief, friendship, and the quiet connections we made before social media took over. Leave with a poem. Leave with hope. Terry's: An American Tragedy About Cars, Customers, and Selling Cars to Customers - The 90s Car Dealership Comedy That'll Make You Squirm Pleasance Courtyard (Beside), 30 July – 25 August (not 11, 19) | 12:55 Midwest America, 1990-something. 66 cars to sell. Capitalism on the edge. Part slapstick, part tragic fever dream — this absurd satire will leave you laughing, cringing, and questioning everything. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad An Ode to the Casting Director — The Brutal, Brilliant Solo Show That Nails 2010s auditioning Woes Gilded Balloon Patter House (The Penny), 30 July – 25 August (not 12) | 11:40 Terry's An American Tragedy About Cars, Customers, and Selling Cars to Customers Toe-sucking hostage scenes. Soul-sapping auditions. Ghosting long before it had a name. A love letter to every actor who's ever waited for a call that never came. A STAN IS BORN! - Pop Divas, Glitter and the Coming-of-Age Musical Comedy You Didn't Know You Needed Gilded Balloon Patter House (Blether), 30 July – 25 August (not 11) | 15:00 Beyoncé. Céline. Mariah. One kid's ultimate 90s/00s pop obsession becomes a hilarious, heartfelt solo musical. Big vocals, bigger laughs and all the feels of growing up gay with your icons as your guide. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Don't Tell Dad About Diana - Drag, Dublin and 90s Pop in This Riotous Coming-of-Age Comedy Underbelly Cowgate (Belly Dancer), 31 July – 25 August (not 12) | 12:50 Don't Tell Dad About Diana Two teens. One secret Diana drag act. Set against Boyzone and Now 38, this is friendship, grief, and identity colliding in a glitter-soaked, high-camp tribute to chosen family and cultural icons. Golden Time (and Other Behavioural Management Strategies) -Rethinking Rewards and ADHD with Wit and Heart Pleasance Dome (Ace Dome), 30 July – 25 August (not 11, 18) | 13:30 Scottish poet Kate Ireland's solo debut uses the school concept of 'Golden Time' to explore ADHD and challenge ideas of success. Sharp, honest, and full of warmth, this show reclaims time and productivity on its own terms. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Eat The Rich (but maybe not me mates x) -The Class-War Solo Show That Pulls No Punches Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 1), 30 July – 25 August (not 12, 19) | 14:15 She's scrubbing loos by day, smashing Cambridge deadlines by night. Jade Franks's laugh-out-loud, razor-sharp debut takes on class, privilege and the myth of meritocracy with guts and wit. Oxbridge won't know what hit it. Cara and Kelly Are Best Friends Forever For Life -The Dark Side of 2010s Girlhood Pleasance Courtyard (Bunker 3), 30 July – 25 August (not 18) | 15:20 Selfies. Sleepovers. Silent complicity. A gripping, darkly comic look at teenage friendship, privilege, and the quiet creep of far-right ideas in modern Britain. The cracks in the BFF facade start to show — and fast. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad House Party - The One-Woman Show That'll Make You Miss Sticky Floors and Cramped Kitchens Pleasance Courtyard (Attic), 30 July – 25 August (not 12, 21) | 15:20 Who can afford to throw a house party anymore? Comedy, dance and social commentary collide in this politically-charged, joyful celebration of community and resistance. Set to a killer playlist -expect Charli XCX, Miley, and Cameo bangers.
The Citizen
11-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Guides get stuck in to help the homeless
Guides get stuck in to help the homeless Rolls of masking tape squeaked and newspaper crackled as members of the Benoni Blue Forest Girl Guides, Rynfield, Boksburg Girl Guides, family and friends joined hands to make sustainable sleeping bags for the city's homeless, on June 7. Taking their positions around trestle tables, 45 volunteers stuck, snipped and folded 30 sleeping bags, as part of the movement's third annual collaboration with Heart Reach Ministries. 'There are currently 50 homeless persons living on the streets of Benoni,' said Dereck Prowling, founder of Heart Reach Ministries. 'When you are living on the streets, you are faced with the most severe conditions. The cold is always biting at your fingers, while rain threatens to drench your blankets, which is often your only form of comfort. 'These sleeping bags, made from durable plastic and newspaper have proven effective in offering insulation and heat. Due to its composition the bags carry no monetary value, therefore recipients hang on to it for its intended purpose and that is to stay warm and protected against the elements.' Putting the sleeping bag to the test, Emma Coetzer (10), a Benoni Blue Forest Girl Guide member said she thinks that living on the streets must be incredibly scary. 'I am sure homeless people get bullied a lot,' she said. 'Maybe when they get these sleeping bags they will realise that there are people who care about them.' Yonela Ndhlovu (9), a Boksburg Girl Guide member, marvelled at the comfort of the bag. 'It is really warm in there,' she said. 'I hope that when people see what kids can do for those in need, maybe they will be a little kinder too.' Adult leader for Benoni Blue Forest Girl Guides Mandy Payze commended the Guides' dedication in not only supporting the initiative but heeding the plight of those less-fortunate. 'This project has played a vital role in sensitising the girls to the needs of others,' said Payze. 'In making these sleeping bags they are not working towards an accolade or badge, they are truly putting their hearts and soul into the project, hoping to make a difference in the lives of strangers.' Payze continued by saying that the importance of the day's activities were cemented when a man, clutching a copy of the Benoni City Time's What's On column arrived at the Treefoil hall. 'The man had read that we would be making sleeping bags for the homeless and had walked from the top of Rynfield in the hopes of securing the comfort item,' said Payze. 'It was heartening to gift him with one of our newly assembled bags, knowing that he would be better protected against the impeding cold front. 'The girls were able to witness first-hand what impact their actions can have on a struggling human being.' To join a local Girl Guide group, visit or connect through social media platforms @ Girl Guides Gauteng East. For more information regarding Heart Reach Ministries and its ongoing projects, visit the website at or follow them on Facebook. ALSO READ: Guides celebrate a successful year ALSO READ: Ministry makes sleeping bags for homeless At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Toronto Star
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
I went to camp for one week when I was nine. I didn't expect it would lead to many more summers — with no end in sight
I was about nine years old when I decided I wanted to go to sleepaway summer camp for the first time — even though I still crawled into my mom's bed most nights. The idea came up during a Girl Guide meeting. I don't remember exactly what was said, but I remember making up my mind that I was going. Having been a Spark, a Brownie, and then a Girl Guide, camping wasn't new to me. But I'd only ever gone for a weekend at most — and my mom, one of our group leaders, was always by my side. This time would be different. Our leaders didn't come to summer camp with us, which meant I'd be going it alone. Still, I'd had so much fun during our weekend getaways that I pushed my worries aside and signed up. My mom really committed by sticking me on the coach bus from Yorkdale Shopping Centre to camp two-and-a-half hours away instead of driving me up. Amazingly, neither of us cried. That first week away from home — filled with lake swims, rock climbing, hikes, campfires, games, skits, dancing, and endless off-tune singing (literally: This is the song that never ends. It just goes on and on, my friend …) — opened me up to a world I'd only dipped my toe in before. One night, our counsellors told us we were going on a stealth mission. We put on dark clothes and snuck our way to the mess hall at the centre of the camp's grounds, crouching and crawling along until we made it to the basement entrance. The counsellors went inside while we waited and came back with an ice cream sandwich for each of us. We sat under the stars, grinning and swearing to keep our not-quite-midnight snack a secret. Looking back, I'm sure the whole thing was planned. But at the time, sitting there with my cabin-mates, it felt thrilling and real — like we'd pulled off something big together. Fresh Air Fund I drove my family to Drake's Bridle Path Mansion in a desperate bid to distract them. Turns out, the real attraction was nearby Sunnybrook Park became a refuge for editor-in-chief Nicole MacIntyre's family, rekindling their The next summer, I had so much fun that I called my parents asking to stay an extra week — the longest I'd ever been away from home. I kept returning, summer after summer. Some years, I even chose camp over a birthday party with friends at home. One of my most vivid camp memories is from my last summer there, on the night of a camp-wide game. A pickup truck was hidden somewhere on site, and whoever found it first would win. Counsellors were scattered across camp, ready to 'penalize' us if they caught us, which added to the excitement. I'm usually not one to take these games seriously — I never expect to win — but that night I found myself army-crawling through the dark again. I'd lost the friend I came to camp with at some point in the night and my jeans were ruined with mud and grass stains, but I found the truck nestled in the trees separating two fields. I climbed in and laid on the horn while I hooted and hollered, signalling that the game was over. I hadn't won anything but bragging rights, but the way I felt in that moment was unmatched. With fond memories of my summers at camp, I got my first job as a day camp counsellor the summer I turned 16, spending every day with the youngest kids of the group, trying to recreate the experiences that were so formative for me. I returned to that camp when I was in university, this time as a photographer, because I couldn't think of a more fun and rewarding way to spend summer, even if it meant long-days in the hot sun and humidity — and that first summer back, frequent sanitizing and tan lines from my face mask. Serena's camp site set up from a trip to Balsam Lake Provincial Park last summer. Serena Austin / Toronto Star Though I've aged out of the summer camp environment, I still love camping: the challenges that come with trying to pack without forgetting anything (which I've never accomplished), pitching a tent, starting a fire and cooking in the dark, the silliness you can get up to once freed from internet access and the beauty of nature. Coming from a Black family where being outdoorsy isn't the norm and getting dirty was to be avoided, I'm the only one that's tried camping and can say it's something I truly enjoy doing, but my early introduction to the activity broadened my perspective and has given me an appreciation for the outdoors that's still with me and that I want to share. One day, I hope I'll be able convince my family to come camping with me. In the meantime though, I've gone camping each summer over the last three years, challenging myself to visit more campsites with more friends and loved ones each year. This summer, I'm especially excited to introduce a group of high school friends to camping for the first time — and I hope they'll fall for it the way I did. Summer camp gave me so much more than just a place to play — it gave me friendships, confidence, and a sense of independence. Every year, thousands of kids in Toronto have the chance to experience that feeling, thanks to programs like the Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund. If you can, supporting those efforts helps make sure more kids get to find their own special place away from home — just like I did. DONATE NOW The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund How to donate: Online: To donate by Visa, Mastercard or Amex using our secure form. By cheque: Mail to The Toronto Star Fresh Air Fund, 8 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5V 0S8 By phone: Call 647-250-8282 Tax receipts will be issued. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Instagram: @torontostarchildrenscharities Facebook: @thetorontostarchildrenscharities X: @TStarCharities LinkedIn: The Toronto Star Children's Charities TikTok: @torstarchildrenscharity #StarFreshAirFund
