Round the Region - West

West region comprises City of Glasgow, Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire. During the past 18 months, their county chairs Rosemary, Jan and Carolyn have handed over their respective reins to Maxine, Anne and Lynne. 

I became regional rep in 2023, our anniversary year. As the new kid on the block to the land of Trefoil beyond my own guild in East Ren, Thinking Day 2023 was when I met my fellow chairs and seeds were sown of planning an   80th anniversary event . We settled on afternoon tea at the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice which has a lovely
tearoom. The Hospice was the wedding gift from the people of Glasgow to the then Prince and Princess of Wales back in 1981. 

Organising fell into my lap as much because of my availability. 

There was nearly a clash of events when Glasgow Rangers had a game which would have caused traffic chaos, but fortunately it was rescheduled.
 

We duly celebrated with a lovely afternoon tea where 15 of our then 16 guilds were represented. As I assembled all my bits and pieces in the porch my husband clocked the 80th balloons. “Someone having a birthday then? “ What on earth had I been talking about for umpteen weeks? Better still at the PPWH several attendees asked the same
question “Someone’s birthday?” AYE OURS!! 

We had a lovely afternoon and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. 

I had a multi question quiz across the decades and - whisper it - there was not a single Girlguiding question. No winners announced to the disappointment of some I am quite sure, but as we all know it is
the taking part that counts. 

Photos to record the event? I forgot. Risk assessment ? Possibly I forgot that too.
Housekeeping? Yes I did remember that. Fascinator? Yes. Well someone had to raise the tone of the
afternoon. All in all never mind being drummed out of the Brownies, I should have been drummed out of the Trefoil for my complete insubordination. 

When the waitresses kindly arrived with little boxes for folk to take home some leftovers, caution went to the wind. By the time I grudgingly thought about a wee cake for my husband, the tables had
been cleared to within an inch of their lives. Fortunately they left the tablecloths and crockery, or at least I wasn’t invoiced for any. 

West Region has now moved to the much more competent hands of Maxine, but thanks for having me.
Susan.