A group of local Girl Guides are this week heading to Mexico for a special Girl Guide friendship event.

Three leaders and seven guides are headed for the Our Cabaña programme in Mexico.

Our Cabaña holds Girl Friendship events specifically for girls ages 13 to 18 years old who are members of The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

These events are typically held during school breaks.

"Participants are given the opportunity to meet and work with Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from other countries, often resulting in life-long friendships," said Alex Crampton, Guide Leader for the delegation to Mexico.

Programmes are cultural and include many activities and workshops based around the current WAGGGS themes and initiatives.

While in Mexico, the Girl Guides will have the opportunity to learn traditional Mexican crafts.

And summer wouldn't be summer without a swimming pool, plus a tennis court, volley ball court, five acres of grounds and seating areas where the Girl Guides can relax and talk with their friends.

During each event the Girl Guides take part in a service project with the local communities. This usually involves children from the communities coming to Our Cabaña to take part in activities that the Girl Guides have planned for them.

"We have trips to several places of local interest," said Ms Crampton. "These include Cuernavaca, the city where Our Cabaña is situated, Taxco the silver capital of Mexico and Tepoztlan, a traditional Mexican Craft market town.

"Throughout the eight nights of events we have games, songs, activities, campfires, flag ceremonies and much, much more."

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Girl Guiding in the world. The theme is '100 years of International Friendship'.

"What better way to celebrate friendship which has lasted for over 100 years than at a World Centre," said Ms Crampton. "It is the best place to make new friends from all over the world.

"As well as looking to the future we will also spend some time thinking about the friendships that have been created in the past and also work with people from the local community to make one of gifts of friendship."