More than 100 Girl Guiding members celebrate World Thinking Day at The Auckland Project

More than 100 Girl Guiding members celebrate World Thinking Day at The Auckland Project

More than 100 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and volunteers from across Bishop Auckland Division came together at The Auckland Project to celebrate the 100th World Thinking Day, embracing this year’s theme of Our Friendship.

Hosted by The Auckland Project and facilitated by HEARTH, the event welcomed units from St Helen Auckland, Shildon, Tow Law and Witton Park. The day offered members the chance to connect with fellow Guiding groups they may never have met before – united as part of the wider Guiding family.

Throughout the day, groups rotated around a carousel of interactive activities across the Auckland Project’s historic sites. The programme included storytelling in Auckland Palace’s Old Library, a guided tour of the palace, birds of prey encounters at HEARTH thanks to Walworth Birds of Prey, shield and crest creation in the Artists’ Hub, a large-scale collaborative artwork, as well as glitter tattoos and face painting.

The programme combined creativity, heritage and hands-on learning, encouraging teamwork and new friendships.

World Thinking Day is a worldwide celebration which takes place each year on 22nd February, which was chosen as it was the joint birthday of Lord Robert Baden-Powell and his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell, who were both instrumental in the organisation's creation. 100 years on, it remains a day for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts across the globe to celebrate being part of an international movement and is also celebrated as Founder's Day by our brothers and sisters in the Scouting Organisations. 

Alison Curry, Joint Division Commissioner for Girl Guiding Bishop Auckland Division, said: “World Thinking Day was a fantastic opportunity to bring our girls together to celebrate friendship and feel part of something bigger. The feedback from both members and leaders has been overwhelmingly positive. Some of our girls were amazed to discover places on their own doorstep that they had never visited before, and many are already planning to return with their friends and families.

“Events like this don’t happen by magic. We’re incredibly grateful to The Auckland Project and the HEARTH team, as well as all the behind-the-scenes staff who kept everything running smoothly and safely. Thanks to their hard work, our members were able to enjoy a truly special and memorable day.

“Girl Guiding units rely entirely on volunteers to run, and days like this simply wouldn’t be possible without their dedication. We’re always keen to welcome new volunteers — no experience is required and full training is provided. It’s a hugely rewarding way to support girls and young women in our community.”

Laura Roberts, Creative Producer at HEARTH, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome so many Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers to The Auckland Project for World Thinking Day. The energy and enthusiasm the girls brought to each activity was wonderful to see, especially as they explored new spaces and discovered more about the heritage on their doorstep.

“At HEARTH, we’re passionate about creating hands-on, creative experiences that spark curiosity and build confidence, so it was fantastic to work alongside the Girl Guiding leaders to deliver a day centred on friendship, collaboration and fun. We’re looking forward to developing more opportunities to work together in the future.”

Hearth is a cultural initiative for Bishop Auckland, delivered in partnership with The Auckland Project and SHED. Supported by external funding, the wider programme aims to create welcoming opportunities for people to connect, take part, and experience the role of culture in community life.

The Auckland Project is transforming a Bishop Auckland into a world-class visitor destination, incorporating Auckland Palace (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham), 17th-century Walled Garden, Deer Park, the Spanish Gallery, the Mining Art Gallery, Weardale Railway and the Faith Museum.

Alongside the visitor destination, The Auckland Project is also working directly with the local community to deliver a wide range of formal and informal learning for adults and young people, create jobs and apprenticeships and, both directly and indirectly, support sustainable living.  

For more information about The Auckland Project, please visit www.aucklandproject.org or search Auckland Project on Facebook, Instagram and /or Twitter.