Girl Guides ‘Revels, Night Shadows and Night Moves’

Girl Guides Queensland State Commissioner, Ms Kathryn Pearson; Revels Leader in Charge, Ms Nicole Dakin; Night Shadows and Night Moves Leader in Charge, Ms Sandra Williams; distinguished guests, and of course the many Girl Guides gathered here today, good afternoon.

I begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands on which we gather, the Quandamooka People, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and all First Nations people with us this afternoon.

As Patron of Girl Guides Queensland, it is always an honour to attend events organised by this stellar organisation, and it is just wonderful to see so, so many Girl Guides here, ranging from age 5 to 17, taking part in this fabulous celebration of Guiding.

Girl Guides Queensland has always excelled in developing the leaders of tomorrow through fun-based adventure programs run by volunteers who create incredible learning experiences for girls and young women.

Building on individual and group strengths and growing personal and interpersonal skills are cornerstones of what you do, and this recipe has been successful for many, many decades now and indeed I remember with great fondness my years as a Brownie and a Girl Guide.

Thank you for helping raise our young girls and women to be capable and positive contributors to our communities. With their potential and the possibilities that you provide for them to ‘give back’ to society, all members really can ‘be the change in the world’ they aspire to be.

I am continually heartened by the benefits that come with being a Girl Guide: the gaining of confidence, the opportunities for leadership, the sense of community spirit, and the enjoyment of the great outdoors.

These, plus the utilisation of skills to inform decision-making in the field, and the planning of a course of action for forward progress make for exciting times as a girl guide.

But perhaps the best part of guiding is that all of this is accomplished in the confines of a safe and secure team environment filled with a diversity of people with whom steadfast and enduring friendships are  forged. There really is no greater gift.

As the largest youth organisation for girls and women in this State, the role Girl Guides Queensland plays in the lives of the ‘almost 4,000 youth members’ is a relevant and important one.

To our youngest guides here this afternoon I hope that you have had a fun-filled, exciting day at your Revels event, and to our Night Shadows and Night Moves participants, have a fabulous time this afternoon and this evening. Stay warm and ‘Go TEAM GIRL!’