Girlguiding is being urged by campaigners to rethink plans to close five of its centres to save money and instead sell off its central London HQ.
Last month the charity’s trustees announced that it plans to sell five of its activity centres “because of the investment needed, and the reduced number of members using them in the past decade.
The centres, Blackland Farm, Foxlease, Glenbrook, Waddow Hall and Ynygain will close their doors at the end of December, according to the plan.
But campaign group #SaveOurCentres says in an open letter to the charity’s management that they “do not accept the sale of historically and socially significant” centres and “associated redundancies”.
The letter adds: “While we recognise the need for financial risk reduction and responsible resource management, we must also ensure accountability for decisions that will affect not only 300,000 current young members but also millions of girls in years to come.”
Instead, the group is urging the charity to consider selling its Buckingham Palace Road, London, HQ and “using a significant fraction of the proceeds to fully renovate the centres to modern standards.”
“This proposal needs comprehensive investigation, business development planning, and a detailed comparative review with the standing proposal to sell five centres. The finances need to follow a principled strategy, not drive a desperate one,” says their open letter.
It adds: “The Centres need to be viewed as a huge growth opportunity, not a threat. They could even be relaunched as Regional Headquarters, embedding existing staff and operations within these sites (if not working remotely). The investment and works required are daunting, however this organisation’s membership is big enough to step up and support every step, with time, skills and money. The Centres have stood for over 100 years – now is the time to rally, not give up!
“Some current HQ staff could be redeployed to oversee and project manage the works required. Furthermore, the value of the land will always continue to increase and Government and the Private Sector continue to prioritise and fund land-based projects and initiatives which centres can host.”
Girlguiding have announced that they are planning to sell off the 5 activity centres they own, this come on top of the announcement that they are closing down British Guides overseas, #saveourcentres #sailingwithBGO
— Save our Girlguiding Activity centres (@SaveourTACs) June 1, 2023
What are Girlguiding going to do next?
We want answers pic.twitter.com/ziWprclX7S
A petition has also been launched by campaigners to save the centres and has been signed by more than 29,000 people.
“Following a comprehensive review, the board of trustees have made the recommendation to sell the five activity centres Girlguiding owns - Blackland Farm, Foxlease, Glenbrook, Waddow Hall and Ynysgain. Under the proposal the five centres will keep operating until 31 December 2023. Girlguiding is now in a period of consultation with staff who may be affected by any implementation of this recommendation,” said the charity.
“We remain committed to giving all girls opportunities to experience adventure within their units, near their home, and in other locations and facilities.”
Overseas services
Meanwhile, in April Girlguiding announced plans to end its British Girlguiding Overseas operations for UK guides living abroad. There are currently 2,600 members of BGO in 36 countries.
“For the UK board of trustees, the decision was made based on the organisation’s future ability to run an overseas operation in 36 countries and territories, each with separate laws and regulations,” said the charity.
A petition by campaigners to save BGO has also been launched and signed by more than 16,500 people.
“We believe that senior leadership and trustees should work with volunteers delivering guiding overseas to support them to continue to do so, rather than to forcibly close all overseas units,” say campaigners.
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