Brownies Dolls

 

I have mentioned scouting related action figures in the past here but there were dolls made for those girls who being 7 1/2 to 10 were in Brownies, the GG equivalent of Cubs which would be used in play.

This Vogue Ginty one is from 1978 showing the then uniform of brown tunic with pockets plus belt and is fully posable.

Coming from a slightly different direction is this vintage soft doll the sort girls I am told  may play with or perhaps tuck into bed which when I've typed this I'll fall into!

Subs

Something that pokes its head up at that time year is the annual subscriptions paid by each local Scout Association branch to the national body.

These, like most things in national life, have gone up not least to cover the costs of recruiting more leaders to reduce the backlog of would be scouts on the list of members waiting for spaces to become available and also the business around safeguarding to fully review it not least as it applies to overnight stays.

Systems are good but it is felt there is some room for improvement when it comes to providing advice before and during any activity like pack holidays and in todays rather litigatious climate, whenever anything might go wrong often there are claims that need defending and the best defence is showing you have fully considered everything risk and how you'd manage them.

No longer can you just gather up your pack and just say "We'll off to the Tissington trail or going to Chasewater", there's a lot more preperation involved.

That's why they've gone up

Fun by the river

Children at play on a river in the Trough of Bowland, near Lancaster on a warm day.

Some indication of the long term impact of changes in climate can be seen in the flow and depth of water as rivers have not returned to their usual condition.

Water containers

 On any sort of excursion keeping hydriated matters and carriage especially for children can have issues recalling the ban on safety grounds of ring pull canned drinks on school trips lest you cut yourself so back in the 1970's nad early 80's we tended to us plastic beakers with an airtight sealed top.

Mini vaccuum flaskes tended to be reserved for hot drinks when you were a bit older.

Given the Scouts Association program is for four to six year olds, whose motor skills are still developing this is a simpel to use design with ribbed edges for better grip and a simple resealable cap  for drinking from.

This one is from Girlguiding UK and has only just been discontinued and aimed at 10-14 year olds so it's still a bit pretty, had a pull up straw for drinking from and well designed top.

The capacity is adequate although a group leader may have a master supply to top them up from if you might be a distance from anywhere.bur for everyday usage they're fine and easy to carry.

Ribble valley

Cardwell House, Longridge, is situated in the Ribble Valley near Preston is an extensive detatched property with imposing gates and views.

Viaducts

 

One of the most interesting railway lines for the views is the Settle to Carlisle route which has many stations and viaducts such as this on the road towards Warton which was undertaking structural works last week

Farms

 For a County that historically includes the heavily urbanized south including the cities of Liverpool, Salford and Manchester, Lancashire does have pockets of countryside where arable farming and livestock are still important such as here just south east of Carnforth

To the far right you can see out Morecambe Bay and Furness.