Girls and young women from Girlguiding Cumbria South had a brilliant time recently at the UK’s biggest girl-only music festival, “Wellies and Wristbands,” at Waddow Hall in Lancashire.
Over 1600 Girlguiding members, aged from 10 to 18, attended and enjoyed participating in a range of adventurous activities including kayaking, zip wire, and climbing, and as the sun set they danced the night away as, on the main stage, bands played their favourite hits. They also had the opportunity to chill out in the pamper zone, have a go at giant inflatables, enjoy the Science zone or learn first aid.
None of this would have been possible without the dedication of hundreds of volunteers, including 17-year-olds Cleo Kerslake and Esme Morgan, who are both members of Kirkby Lonsdale Rangers, 35-year-old Lindsey Cooper, a leader at Milnthorpe Brownies and Crosscrake Guides, and 21-year-old Jessica Broome, the unit leader at 4th Kirkby Lonsdale Brownies. They arrived a day early to help put up tents and get the site ready and, during the festival, provided first aid, helped with the inflatables, supported the teaching of CPR and helped keep all the adventurous activities safe. As it was rather cold and wet, the helpers resorted to making additional coats out of bin bags, and to entertaining the queue for the catering tent, singing and dancing “We’re singing in the rain” to cheers and giggles.
Jessica Broome thoroughly enjoyed the weekend: “Seeing a girl develop in confidence and skills as a result of opportunities that I have been involved in providing for her is very rewarding. I think a big thing about “Wellies” was the incredible atmosphere, where it felt that everyone truly cared for each other, and that is what Girlguiding is all about.”
