Girlguiding Ashton shows off new uniform on BBC News

Guides and Brownies from the Girlguiding Ashton Division have helped design and launch Girlguiding’s first new uniform in 30 years, even appearing on BBC News.

Members of 9th Ashton Guides and 40th Ashton Brownies appeared on BBC News and Newsround to showcase the redesigned clothing.

The new uniform, unveiled by Girlguiding this week, is the organisation’s first major update since the 1990s and follows extensive consultation with young members across the UK. Among those helping to influence the final designs were girls from Girlguiding Ashton Division, who took part in a national survey and co-design process to decide on the new look.

Members of 9th Ashton Guides (aged 10 to 14) and 40th Ashton Brownies (aged 7 to 10) were invited by the BBC to model the new uniform and share their views on camera. Their appearances featured throughout the day on BBC News programmes, all the way through from BBC Breakfast to the News at 10, as well as in a Newsround feature available on BBC iPlayer.

Filming took place at the Albion United Reformed Church on Stamford Street East, kindly made available by Gillian Lewis, the Church Secretary who is also a Brown Owl at 9th Ashton Brownies. The church is the regular meeting place for 9th Ashton Guides, along with local Rainbows, Brownies, and Rangers. 40th Ashton Brownies meet at Holden Clough Community Primary School.

The girls chosen to speak on camera had all contributed to the uniform consultation and were delighted to see how their ideas, alongside those of more than 55,000 other young members nationwide, had helped shape the final designs. They particularly welcomed the practical new options and accessories and said they looked forward to wearing the new uniform once they had outgrown their current one.

To mark the launch, all of the girls received a special commemorative badge and took part in an upcycling activity, turning old uniform items into hair scrunchies. They also enjoyed seeing historic uniforms from the Girlguiding archives, some of which may have been similar to those worn by their mothers and grandmothers.