Latest news with #badges
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Girlguiding's new badges are a vital ‘woke' revamp for Gen Alpha
Forget Cobbler, Rabbit Keeper, Farmer and Sea Lore badges – Girlguiding has had a revamp. And rather than demonstrating a strong knowledge of the deep blue sea, the ocean floor and associated trade routes, as their young bearers needed to do in 1935; or the 1943 challenge of 'keeping rabbits for one year, including rearing a litter' – the charity, which is the largest youth organisation in the UK dedicated to empowering girls and young women, has gone modern (and as some critics would say, 'woke'). And it's about time, too. In a nod to a new generation of wannabe vloggers and YouTubers, Gen Alpha can now swap the old-fashioned Book Lover badge (which used to specify reading six books from a list of authors like Mary Molesworth, Charlotte May Yongel and AA Milne) for BookTok to earn a Book Reviewer or Blogging badge. There's even a brand new books and activism (or, Booktivist) badge! How fitting for 2025 – an age when we've become accustomed to Just Stop Oil chucking soup at priceless Van Gogh works of art; when Youth Demand activists are getting arrested for sharing biscuits at Quaker meeting houses; when hundreds are battling heavy rain each weekend to protest for Palestine. Young people are impassioned and active – and Girlguiding, uniquely, appreciates that. In fact, the organisation says that Rangers (members aged 14-18) will now be able to take their reading habits to the next level by exploring 'what empowers them through books,' such as 'feminism, stories by Black British authors or the environment'. Right on. Girlguiding was never this cool when I was at school. I remember quite distinctly the disgust I felt when I realised my first Brownies uniform was actually brown (the clue was in the name, but there we go). I also have vague memories of a church hall, a mirror on the floor representing water, and a lot of outdoor pursuits. My hatred of camping remains well-documented to this day, as does the memory of falling in the King George's Reservoir where we went to practice kayaking (the horror, the horror). My leader decided it would be a really fun game to make us get out of the boats to race up and down the length of the kayaks, right next to the sign warning us there was 'toxic blue-green algae' in the water. Fabulous. Is there a Dunking badge I should have earned? Reluctantly, I will admit that being a Brownie was mostly life-affirming and quite fun – if more than a little damp. I still have fond, if reluctant, memories of trying – and failing – to build a fire out of soggy sticks and flint; of getting completely lost in the woods because none of my group knew how to use a compass or the meaning of the word 'orienteering'; and of eating cold beans out of a tin because of the aforementioned fire failure. But we're not in the 1990s anymore. There's a whole new digital, Taylor Swift-infused world out there in 2025 – and I applaud Girlguiding's attempts to keep up with the times. It's not only refreshing, it's vital. If an organisation like Girlguides doesn't modernise and appeal to a very different generation this time around, it risks dying out altogether. And who will be getting their Healthy Sleep, Clean Planet and Laughter or Fandom badges then? What's more, the organisation has proven that it really understands what's important to teens today. What use is a Hostess badge – earned by putting on a tea party – in 2025? Gen Alpha are impassioned mini- Greta Thunbergs, and they really care about the climate crisis. The stats prove it: almost two-thirds of the youngest job seekers have expressed interest in pursuing 'green' jobs, according to recent data, while college administrators say soaring numbers of students are pursuing environmental-related degrees and careers. Other research has shown that younger generations – including us wizened old millennials and Gen-Zers, all radicalised by Blue Peter – experience greater levels of fear, guilt and outrage about the impacts of climate change compared to older Gen-X, baby boomer and post-war groups. With that in mind, the new Girlguiding Bee Rescuer or Conscious Consumer badges are spot on. We don't live in Enid Blyton times anymore – given the racism and xenophobia, it's just as well – we live in a world in which screens are second-nature to our kids; where I get eye-rolls from my 13-year-old because I have no idea how to set a self-timer, let alone use Snapchat – and if I did use Snapchat, she'd be mortified. It is a world in which more young boys than ever are listening to the likes of Andrew Tate and where lessons on misogyny have joined the curriculum; where programmes like Adolescence have become mandatory viewing (even according to the prime minister). With the very tricky trials facing girls today, we need My Voice and My Views badges more than ever. That's what Girlguiding is doing: modernising the way they interact with young people. Speaking their language. After all, what use is an organisation for girls if nobody wants to join it?
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Can you still get San Diego Comic-Con tickets? What to know about badges, resellers
San Diego Comic-Con is just around the corner and badges for this year's beloved convention have already sold out, but consumers may be wondering if they can get their hands on resell tickets, even if they're at a higher price. San Diego Comic-Con runs Thursday, July 24 through Sunday, July 27 at the San Diego Convention Center. A-list celebrities and filmmakers attending this year's convention include George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Ryan Gosling, Elle Fanning and James Gunn. Tickets, or badges, as the convention calls them, are already sold out for this year. While third-parties and resellers may be promoting last-minute sales, San Diego Comic-Con informs that valid badges can only be purchased through the convention website. Here's what consumers need to know about purchasing official San Diego Comic-Con badges. More SDCC: George Lucas, father of 'Star Wars,' to head panel at San Diego Comic-Con Can you buy San Diego Comic-Con badges from resellers? Valid badges can only be purchased from the San Diego Comic-Con website and are non-transferable, the convention website states. Badges are "security printed and are personal to the badge holder only," the website adds. Badges purchased from third parties or resellers are invalid. To purchase a valid badge, consumers must create a unique San Diego Comic-Con Member ID. Even if purchasing badges for multiple people, each individual must have their own Member ID. If a friend buys a badge to San Diego Comic-Con, can they transfer it to me? No. San Diego Comic-Con badges are non-transferable. Can you refund San Diego Comic-Con badges? Yes, the convention offers refunds. However, the deadline for this year to refund badges has passed. How to get a San Diego Comic Con badge for 2026 Badges for new and returning San Diego Comic Con attendees open in the fall before the upcoming year's convention. Returning attendees receive access to badges before new ones. For example, last year, badge sales opened for returning attendees in September and sales for new attendees opened in November, according to the convention website. Keep an eye on the SDCC website later this summer to learn about the 2026 schedule. This year, tickets ranged between $60-80 per day for adults. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about buying San Diego Comic-Con tickets
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Girlguiding : What are the 72 new badges?
Girlguiding, the UK's largest youth organisation for girls, has launched 72 new badges in one of the biggest updates in its 115-year new badges have been designed for girls aged 4 to 18 across all sections of Girlguiding; Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. This is only the second time in the organisation's history that the badge programme has been updated on such a large of the new badges on offer are earned through laughter, kindness, or even strong interests, where enthusiasm over things like Taylor Swift could see teenage Rangers receive a Fandom badge. Archive images courtesy of British Pathé The new badges also cover a wide range of interests and skills, from interior design and food tasting to learning about insects and creating calm spaces. They were developed after feedback from more than 20,000 girls and volunteers . More than 4,000 badge ideas were submitted, and 11,000 girls helped test the new activities that each badge involves. The badge activities were developed with Girlguiding's youth panel Amplify. Fatima, who is 18 and part of the group, says: "It's empowering to know our voices help shape what guiding looks like for the future."The aim of the new badges is to give members more choice and to reflect the things they said they wanted to learn. Amanda Azeez, Girlguiding Acting CEO said: "They've been designed by girls, for girls which is so important to make sure we are staying relevant to girls' wants and needs. My personal favourite is the Bee rescuer badge for Rainbows - I just love it!" Some of the new badges include: Courage: Helping younger members in Rainbows understand that being brave means trying new things, even when they feel Designer: Giving girls the chance to plan, design and decorate a space using their Spaces: Encouraging older members to create a relaxing environment that helps them feel calm and Critic: Helping girls explore different flavours and express their opinions on what they do (or don't) the last badge refresh in 2018, Girlguiding says more than 1.5 million badges have been earned by girls across the UK. How did Girlguiding begin? The Girl Guide Association was created in 1909 by a woman called Agnes Baden-Powell. Agnes played an incredibly important role in the Girl Guide movement. Her brother Robert had founded the Boy Scouts Association not long before, but many people didn't approve of girls taking part in outdoor activities, despite many wanting to take part. Agnes wanted to change that and her brother was in full support of her creating an organisation specifically for girls. Girl Guides were soon practising skills like cooking and first aid and there were lots of different badges they could earn. Many of these skills became very useful when the First World War began and saw lots of men and boys go off to fight. Famous Girl Guides include the late Queen Elizabeth, who became a Guide in 1937 at 11 when she was a princess. In 1994 The Girl Guide Association's name was updated to the Guide Association. It was updated again in 2002 and is known today as Girlguiding UK.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
New Girlguiding badges encourage girls to laugh, share and discover
Girl guides will be rewarded for everything from sleeping and laughing to grooving and sharing their 'guiding sparkle' thanks to a range of new badges adding to and replacing traditional ones. The Girlguiding organisation has launched 72 additional badges co-designed by more than 20,000 girls and volunteers which will be introduced to girls aged four to 18 across Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. The girls will be celebrated for having a good night's sleep, critiquing food, discovering a new hobby and planning a holiday, skills including mechanics and entomology, as well as hosting a party. Broadcaster and presenter Angellica Bell has joined as an ambassador to help launch the project, saying she wants to encourage girls to tackle the many challenges they face, all while enjoying themselves. The badges – which are given to girls who complete a certain challenge to wear on their uniform – are divided into sections which encourage wellness, knowing oneself, learning and having adventures, among others. They were co-designed by around 20,000 people, including 15,000 girls. More than 4,000 badge design ideas were submitted by girls and volunteers and 11,000 girls from 753 Girlguiding units across the UK helped test them out. The developments were in response to girls' requests to add more choice to the programme and include activities to help the climate, build confidence and speak about their interests and 'fandom' groups. Different badges can be won by different age groups and they range from interest badges to skills builders to unit meeting activities. The youngest, Rainbows, are able to win the 'bee rescuer' badge by helping the environment or for finding and sharing their 'guiding sparkle' and why they love Girlguiding. Brownies have a reinvented version of the 'hostess' badge called 'celebrations' which can be won by hosting a party and providing food, activities and decorations. Guides are able to earn a 'thrift' badge by customising, repurposing and recycling objects. Bell said: 'It was a real blast trying out the new badges with Girlguiding members. 'I know first-hand just how important it is for girls to have activities outside of school to educate but also have fun. 'As someone who thrives on challenges and is passionate about ensuring girls' voices are heard, I feel extremely excited to be joining Girlguiding as an ambassador. 'Girlguiding offers a safe and welcoming space for all girls, and I am so impressed by the work they do to build girls' confidence and wellbeing, whilst tackling important issues impacting their lives such as online harm, sexism and misogyny. 'In a world where the voices of girls and young women are not always fairly heard, I am proud to stand alongside Girlguiding and will be using my voice to speak up for equality and to show that girls can do anything.' The badge activities were developed with Girlguiding's youth panel Amplify, which is made up of 30 girls aged 12 to 18, and seven partners including The Royal Horticultural Society, which helped with the Rangers' gardening badge, the Children's Book Project, which helped with the Guides' bookworm badge, Bletchley Park, which helped with the Guides' codebreaking badge, and the Wellbeing of Women charity which helped with the Rangers' 'my health' badge. Amanda Azeez, acting chief executive of Girlguiding, said: 'The launch of these new badges is a huge moment for Girlguiding. 'They've been designed by girls, for girls – which is so important to make sure we are staying relevant to girls' wants and needs. 'The response from girls and volunteers during the consultation process was incredible and really inspiring. 'There's something for everyone among the new badges and I'm looking forward to seeing the impact these activities have on girls, building their confidence and helping them know they can do anything.'
Times
20-07-2025
- General
- Times
Guides invent 72 new ‘empowering' badges that reflect their lives
In September 1909 a group of young women from Peckham Rye gatecrashed a Scout rally demanding 'something for the girls' — and thus the Girl Guides was born. In the century since then, however, what that 'something' entails has shifted continually in order to reflect women's changing role in society. No more are girls awarded badges for hosting and cleaning; now they can earn badges for interior design, environmental conservation and thrifting, which are among 72 new activities unveiled as part of the organisation's drive to remain relevant to the lives of girls growing up in the 2020s and help them to feel 'empowered'. The new additions are all 'interest badges', which aim to develop hobbies rather than attain specific skills, and may be completed individually at home.
