United Kingdom 2010

The over 300 participants at the Olave Baden-Powell Society (OB-PS) annual event in Bath were inspired and motivated after hearing the testimonials of young women who have represented WAGGGS at international events.

The six young women attending the event on 15 and 16 May were: Lizzi Fricker (UK), who attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March 2010; Lianne Howard-Dace and Liz Cooke (UK) members of the Young Women’s World Forum (YWWF) Planning Group; Katheri Ann Charcos (Philippines), who attended the Juliette Low Seminar (JLS) in 2006; Ida Sjöholm (Sweden), who was at the JLS 2008, and Carla Patiño Carreño (Ecuador), a JLS 2009 participant from Ecuador.

The young women ran workshops about advocacy and leadership and inspired OB-PS members with stories about how they had made a difference to the lives of girls and young women, doing activities as diverse as painting blocks in the slum areas of Kenya, learning how to construct a solar cooking and speaking out at United Nations sessions to encourage governments to meet the commitments they had already pledged to investing in girls and young women.

OB-PS members were impressed that their donations had been used to effect such changes in the lives of girls and young women.

The young women also talked to the Patron of the Olave Baden Powell Society, HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark. She talked to them about the impact their attendance at international events had on their national organizations and they asked her what advice she would give them as young women of today and why she supports WAGGGS and OB-PS. It was clear each young woman had been empowered to make significant impacts in their own countries. HRH Princess Benedikte encouraged them to continue to travel the world, meet different people and cultures and practice tolerance and understanding in everything they do.

They also received the first OB-PS scholar badges, which will be given to all young women receiving funding through the OB-PS Anne Scott Fund, with the hope of publicising both the fund and the Society.

Fundraising success

Kavita Oberoi, the new Chair of the Global Girl’s Fund, addressed the members to share her vision for the Fund and how she would like to see it develop to empower girls and young women from all backgrounds so that they can make a difference in their communities. She was presented with the Princess Benedikte Award by the Princess at a reception to celebrate the launch of the Fund in the UK (picture right).

UK members fundraised for Lord and Lady Baden Powell in memoriam. A Brownie and a Cub together with Gill Clay, the Baden-Powell’s granddaughter, were presented on their behalf (picture below).

The event also witnessed the launch of a new initiative, ‘Support a Young Woman’, which gives people a flexible to help provide a leadership training opportunity to girls from across the world.

In celebrating the fact that OB-PS has now reached its 1,000th member, a challenge was issued by Elaine Patterson, Vice-Chair of the Global Girls Fund: see if OB-PS could help support 1,000 girls through leadership experiences over the next five years.

OB-PS members responded very generously in a variety of ways. Some by deciding to join the ‘Support a Young Woman initiative, and others by increasing their membership by £4,000 to become Centenary Supporters. More than £2,000 was collected from donations at members’ meetings and clampampherie which is an alternative tombola.