15 Oct 2020
To all Adult Members
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I trust you are all feeling a little refreshed after the school holiday break and enjoyed some time with family and friends as much as you were able. It is great to see that girls in Units everywhere are enjoying activities and now that the longer evenings are with us we will be able to move activities outside, and so for those Units who have had to meet over 2 evenings to manage social distancing requirements it will be great to get together as one group again. BRAVOO to all Leaders but especially so to all of you who have been doubling up on meeting times so that each and every girl could access their Guiding.
Glengarry Announcement
Yesterday I announced on behalf of our Board of Directors that we are seeking open market expressions of interest for Glengarry. I must stress that this is an expression of interest process and nobody knows what the result will be. Options may include sale, partial sale, long-term lease, or something else entirely. This is an open market process where the Board will review all the interest for this site and determine what is best for the organisation. Glengarry is wholly owned by Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT and is adjacent to Crown land, which is bushland owned by the NSW Government.
Guiding is about empowering young women to grow into confident, self-respecting community members. The Board of Guides NSW, ACT & NT has to make decisions to ensure this can happen for all Guides throughout our organisation and for the future. Glengarry has been making significant losses for more than 20 years. Successive Boards over many years have not been able to approve any development designs of the site as there was no possibility of recouping costs to make the site viable, especially due to the zoning. For the last 10 years Glengarry has experienced very low usage by Guides, and only 5% of overall usage has been for camping.
Ku-ring-gai council has zoned the land that Glengarry is on as non-residential, this zoning means that expressions are likely to come from not-for-profits, educational, non-government or possibly even government sources.
Options for how best to use Glengarry have been reviewed for the last 18 years. Through this process many varied and alternate options have been explored, studied, recommended, etc. In 2007–9, following the sale of lot 31, architects were engaged to develop the site for future Guiding use. The multi-million-dollar cost, which was considered to outweigh the benefit to Guiding, made the development impossible to justify. The money from the sale was then wisely invested in our investment portfolio.
If the expressions do result in Glengarry no longer being owned by Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT, the historical material that means so much to many of you, and to me, will be managed appropriately and retained by the Association.
If you have a particular question or concern you may send an email to
[email protected] and you will get a response, most likely from me, as soon as I am able.
Centenary Celebration Camp
Centenary Camp registrations will open soon, so look out for information about that. This Camp, a State Jamboree, will be a fantastic way for girls to join in with their Region and State Organisation to celebrate, have fun, meet Guide friends and take part in a large camp experience, which for many will be a once in a life time experience. April 11-16, 2021, start planning for your Unit to be there.
State Commissioner Expressions of Interest
You will have seen that expressions of interest have been circulated for the role of State Commissioner of Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT. Do you know someone (or is it you) that has the drive and determination to see Guiding thrive into the future? I would commend each of you to consider this question and encourage and support that person to move forward with nomination. Personally I have enjoyed and treasured my time as State Commissioner and have valued all the friends and connections I have made, it is truly a great opportunity for personal growth and participating in something so valuable to the community.
Camping Restrictions Lifting
At the last Member Management Committee Meeting and with consideration to Government restrictions, a decision was made to make a move to return to camping. This is truly exciting for us all. Of course we need to be mindful of COVID and there is the necessity for camping to take place in a different way to ensure that the risks are greatly reduced. For more info please see your ROAC and work with her to make sure that every camping experience is within our plan.
Governance Committee Expressions of Interest for under 30s
The Governance Committee are seeking Expressions of Interest from Members who are under 30 and would be interested in gaining experience by sitting on this Committee. The Governance Committee is a Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT Board sub-committee and is responsible for advising the Board so they can fulfill their corporate and governance oversight responsibilities.
Terms of Reference are included for your information. If you are interested in being the person to grow your understanding of governance of a Not for Profit Organisation then please contact Penny if you have any questions or if you would like the nomination form.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, social isolation, physical distancing, illness and everything that is going on can be a difficult time. Please remember to continue to look after yourselves, and each other, and reach out to your District Manager or Region Manager if you are struggling with anything. I recommend having a read of these psychological tips for getting through these times.
Yours in Guiding,
Sarah Neill
State Commissioner
Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT
Coronavirus Health Information Line
Call this line if you are seeking information on coronavirus (COVID-19). The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 1800 020 080.
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Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians
Girl Guides NSW, ACT & NT pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW, ACT and NT, and acknowledge their continued connection to country and culture. |
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