Turvey Park Girl Guides, (L to R) leader Claire Baaten, Trinity, Nicola (front), Jess, Eve and Abby. Photo: Chris Roe.
The Turvey Park Girl Guides will be hosting another Biggest Morning Tea this weekend to raise funds for Cancer Council.
The event will be held on Sunday (15 June) from 10:30 am at the Turvey Park Girl Guides Hall.
Australia has the highest rate of melanoma (a type of skin cancer caused by overexposure to UV radiation) rates worldwide. According to the Cancer Council an estimated more than 18,200 Australians were diagnosed with melanoma in 2023 and the average age of diagnosis is 65.
Hosting a Biggest Morning Tea will not only help fund research into cancer prevention and treatment, but is also one step towards the girls’ journey to receiving a Queen’s Guide award.
The award is the peak achievement awarded to Girl Guides and involves the completion of challenges to earn badges within a set time frame.
It gives members the opportunity to develop their skills and interests, have adventures and challenge themselves while contributing to guiding and their community.
The award is recognised by formal education systems across Australia and involves challenges in six skill areas: creative thinking, communication, character, collaboration, community and a commitment to learning, on top of compulsory service and leadership challenges.
Ava Lyons is a 14-year-old Wagga Girl Guide and has just started her journey to becoming a Queen’s Guide.
“All the donations go towards [Cancer Council],” she said.
“Most people aim to get their Queen’s Guide, but they also may move up to Senior Guides.
“They do all the Senior Guides stuff, but that’s not really a thing anymore, because there’s not enough people that do it.
“There’s thirty-something challenges [for the Queen’s Guide], and they’re all challenging things that you have to do in a certain amount of time.
“So you can start it from when you’re 14, and you have to finish it by the time you’re 18.”
The girls run themed nights to earn badges and achievements. Ruby Lyons, Ava’s 13-year-old sister, organised a candle-making night for her badge.
“Everybody got to keep their candle,” Ruby said.
“If you’ve asked one of the leaders, you can be in charge and say, ‘We’re going to run this’. You just have to relate it to the badge you’re trying to earn.”
Girl Guides earn badges through activities such as cooking, learning life skills and studying history.
Ruby said hearing about last year’s Biggest Morning Tea from friends and other Girl Guides drew their interest.
Five of the 13 Guides will be organising activities such trivia, crochet and ‘guess how many teacups are on the poster’ at the Biggest Morning Tea.
Details of the Turvey Park Girl Guides’ Biggest Morning Tea. Photo: Supplied.
You can join the girls at the Girl Guides Hall at 32 Sunshine Ave on Sunday (15 June). Entry is $5 and the hall will be open to the public from 10:30 am.
