Over the past few weeks, guides in Hillingdon have been pooling their 20p coins in aid of the local foodbank to spend them at the local supermarket, to see how much they could buy for those in a less fortunate position than them as we approach the winter season. In the supermarket sweep, the guides bought many non-perishable items with families in mind such as notebooks and pens for students still studying at school, boxes of chocolates for the festive season, bath items for babies and various food items like instant noodles, tinned fish and canned fruit that will last a long while to provide people and families with a hearty meal that they can collect from the local food bank. Parents were also more than willing to help their daughters collect their coins in aid of the good cause, with one stating, “it was good for the children to learn and appreciate how little money covers when feeding a family”.

As the girls went around the supermarket in their patrols, they used their team-working, money-saving and girl-guiding skills to make sure that the money raised was used wisely throughout the experience, whilst getting a taste for managing money and making sensible choices that would benefit poorer families in our local area. With more than 20 guides taking part and over £200 raised, the importance of foodbanks for the local community has been shared with all adults and guides who participated in the challenge - and shown them how helpful foodbanks can be to families and people from all walks of life who need the support daily. After reflecting on the wonderful experience, a guide said, “It was fun and empowering because I knew I was doing something helpful for the less fortunate.”