All things garden party

Sue Hunt and Valerie Symmons were nominated to represent Girlguiding Bedfordshire at the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire to attend her Garden party for Volunteers in June, below is a report from Sue on the event

At the beginning of May I was surprised to receive an invite from the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire to attend her Garden party for Volunteers in June

After several emails pinging in sending and recalling emails we got the final one for me to go no guest. Hmm how to get to Oakley House on my own no bus, no train link etc so I emailed them back and they allowed me a guest after numbers had been confirmed so now who to take? Of course, I took Paul our County Archivist and volunteer in Girlguiding Bedfordshire.

We arrived having left in sunshine driven through rain and arrived in lovely sunshine at one of the loveliest houses I have seen Oakley House, originally Duke of Bedfordshire hunting lodge and brick built it is now faced in Northamptonshire stone! We were allowed to wander the grounds walk down to the river Great Ouse but the swans weren’t around and too many people for the Kingfisher to be out! The food was lovely especially the cakes lol

I met lots of Volunteers during the Garden Party from all sectors, Scout leaders, St Johns, Army, Befrienders at Yarlswood to name a few.

Thank you to Amanda for nominating me to represent Girlguiding leaders I hope I didn’t let you down, the only leader from Luton is quite something for me to still fully comprehend.

Girlguiding is given the privilege of stewarding at a garden party At Buckingham palace every year and this year, 12 of our amazing volunteers were given the opportunity to represent Girlguiding Anglia. They all had an amazing day and had a fantastic experience at Buckingham Palace. Sam Chisman the Division Commissioner from Dunstable Division was nominated to represent Girlguiding Anglia/Bedfordshire County. What an honour to be in uniform inside the magnificent grounds of Buckingham Palace.