What do our 7 to 10-year-olds do at their unit meetings? It’s all about having fun, learning, and going on exciting adventures. Our ‘Explore’ skills builder activities are no different. As part of our ‘Have Adventures’ theme, the Brownies are encouraged to use bus maps and timetables, and understand how different modes of transport are connected.
1st Stoke-sub-Hamdon Brownies decided there’s no better way to do this than with a day out! Here’s their story …
Two busses
On Saturday 1st July we put that learning into practice and the girls had the responsibility of looking after their own possessions. We caught the bus to Yeovil bus station, here we moved to another stand and caught the link bus to Yeovil Junction railway station.
One train
The South Western Railway community ambassador (and a Brownie mum from Feniton!) Stacey met us off the bus and explained all about how to keep safe on a Railway station and train. Where you can get help even if there are no staff present at the time. We had fun either buying tickets at the machine or at the ticket office.
Some local history
After a snack and quick run around we walked to St Johns Almshouse. Where trustees and showed us around these 600 year old social housing equivalent. Also the very rare and precious triptych artwork. Costumes were shown of the uniform that residents were expected to wear and very strict rules of being allowed to reside there. We were even allowed to have our picnic in their very pretty enclosed rear garden.
Onward to Sherborne Abbey and 2 more guides to show us treasures that are within this fine building. We were even able to lie in the sarcophagus of a former King of England!
And back again!
Then we had to find our return train and bus tickets and get back home! All was well and fab day out and felt that we had an adventure!
As a leader I was just so impressed that on approaching SW Railway, St Johns Almshouse and Sherborne Abbey they all were so accommodating the welcoming and going out of their way to entertain us in a way that we could determine!
Jackie, Leader at 1st Stoke-sub-Hamdon Brownies
Girlguiding Somerset county 