A debate at Westminster Hall on the future of girl guiding in Overseas Territories was led by two MPs, Jim Shannon and Caroline Nokes.

During the session yesterday, Mr Shannon expressed concern over the planned closure this year of Girl Guide organisations in OTs.

“Those 2,600 members are left without that previous opportunity to be part of something global, something diverse, something useful, something that they can appreciate in a community that appreciates them,” Mr Shannon said.

“That is the importance of this issue, and the importance of holding this debate.”

Although Girlguiding announced plans to close British Girlguiding Overseas in April 2023, the organisation’s board of trustees ultimately extended operations until the first few months of 2024.

The Overseas Territories include Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos.

Ms Nokes, MP for Romsey and Southampton North, spoke about the importance of the organisation during the debate.

“We are at risk of losing the voices of young girls who will undoubtedly go on and be given the confidence to go on to contribute in later life,” Ms Nokes said.

Girlguiding operations shut their doors in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Luxembourg and France on September 1, 2023. During that same period, girlguiding came to end on military bases.

According to Roslyn Simmons, commissioner for Girlguiding Bermuda, there has been no change in regards to the deadline, which is supposed to be the end of March.

“That is still the same. They are having their meeting sometime in March. We don’t know the exact date. All we have been told is that it’s in March. We are figuring by the end of March we should know something in more detail,” Ms Simmons said.

The organisation was invited to merge with the Scouts. However, Ms Simmons is steadfast about where they stand.

“We would really like to stay on our own. We have a sister-brother relationship in Bermuda. There are scouts here. We are not trying to join up as of yet. They accept girls in the Scouts, but we still want to be just a girl club right now,” she said.

Ms Simmons noted that the group does not have a backup plan if the trustees cease girl guide activities in OTs.

“Basically, we are hoping and praying that we stay connected with the UK because that would keep us connected with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts programme. We have not looked forward to going on our own as of yet because we are hoping and praying that we stay with them.”

“Somebody mentioned that we could join WAGGGS on our own, but it's not that simple.

“They say we are too small to go on our own, so we are just hoping and praying that we stay connected,” Ms Simmons said.

Girlguiding Bermuda, which was founded in 1919, is celebrating 105 years in service to the community. Next month, it plans some celebrations.

“We have our annual Thinking Day, where we think of all our sister girls around the world.

“We have a theme every year. This time is ‘Our world, Our future, thriving’, so that’s the theme this year.

“The official Thinking Day is February 22, but we have our service the closest Sunday to the 22nd. It’s the founders’ birthdays on the 22nd. They chose that day for thinking day,” Ms Simmons said.

“I have personally been in it for 52 years, from ten years old. It’s something we just enjoy, teaching the girls how to be young citizens, productive citizens, giving to others, especially giving service to others first and then ourselves. It’s just something that has been going on for years. We challenge ourselves to try new things.”

“When you find a young lady who is timid and shy and then you get her to do something for the first time, and just to see how bubbly she is from trying, it’s just all those little things. We have many young ladies that are doctors and lawyers today and have come through girl guiding,” Ms Simmons said.

“We have our time capsule to open in 2044. We have to hang on for that. It’s planted up in Government House. To me, I would have never thought girl guiding would come to an end in Bermuda, even though our numbers have dwindled from when I came to be a guide.

“It’s not like the numbers back in the day, but even if its one, two or three children that want to learn something from guiding. Teaching skills to survive, teaching them how to build a fire, cooking on a fire outdoors.

“How to be thrifty and crafty. You don’t have to go buy expensive stuff; you can recycle stuff and make new stuff out of old stuff. Just all different little things they have taught us, knitting, crocheting, there are just so many things I’ve learnt in guiding. Especially camping. I love camping. I’m the outdoorsy person.”

Girlguiding Bermuda has about 100 members, which Ms Simmons noted has remained vibrant with a younger demographic. “We just opened up a new Brownie pack at Somersfield. The Brownie section is the section that is really growing.”

Brownies range from ages 7 to 10, while Guides are from 10 to 14 and the Rangers are 14 to 18. Girlguiding Bermuda has a senior section where women can become leaders after 18.