Brownies is a girl guiding community for girls aged 7-10, it introduces them to new opportunities and challenges while giving them the opportunity to have fun and stay social. 

I had the opportunity to interview one of the young leaders at a local brownies (which is centred in Hersham) so that I could understand the positives to joining brownies and how it benefits local communities. 

This young leader had been part of brownies herself and then moved onto guides before solidifying her place as a young leader. She kindly explained to me that a young leader is someone who helps out at brownies and sometimes runs/ sets-ups activities as well as giving their own input into what activities they could do in the future. Some young leaders even have the opportunity to take a safeguarding course in order to be able to look after the young girls in the safest way possible. 

I asked what specific activities the brownies had done, especially to help out their local community, and she recalled how they helped plant flowers for Hersham in bloom before COVID and, more recently, have been hanging candy canes around Hersham village in order to do a good deed for the lucky people that find them while also channeling their Christmas spirit. 

“Helping out in the community is really beneficial as it allows the girls to get in touch with their community more and learn to appreciate it.” 

Along with benefits to the community around them, there are also many benefits to those who join brownies themselves which can stay with them as they grow older. Brownies allows young girls to make friendships outside of a school environment, encouraging them to socialise and create bonds that can last into older years too especially if they decide to join guides after brownies. Meeting new people can improve communication skills and also gives them more freedom and choices within their social lives. 

The young leader I interviewed revealed that she still keeps in contact with some of the friends she made from brownies who have now stayed with her into her teenage years, one of which has even become a younger leader beside her. 

Brownies also offers these girls amazing opportunities. Some specific to the Hersham brownies have been trips such as: staying over night in a planetarium and going on popular PGL trips. PGL trips in particular help younger kids overcome their fears and give them the chance to stay away from home for the first time.

Furthermore, there is a very large range of creative tasks. This diversity allows girls to really channel their passions and interests that can help them shape their futures. There is also an immense feeling of achievement when you earn a badge for completing a specific task. 

The young leader went on to say she believes that “brownies was created to give girls an equal opportunity that only used to be available to boys in scouts. There’s a strong message of equality between everyone in the guiding community and diversity is always appreciated.” 

I strongly believe that there are only positive opportunities to parents sending their children to brownies and I can only hope the tradition stays strong in today’s growing society.