CONGRATULATIONS!!

We've Done It!

Thanks to all your help and support, the new Guide Headquarters was officially opened on 25th September 2004 by Andrew Stunnell MP and The Mayor of Stockport, Councillor Michael Wilson.

Girlguiding Marple District Headquarters
Re-Building Project.

Update: 24 January 2004
It's been a while since we heard any news from the guides but we've just received this update from Jennifer Sigley, District Commissioner Girlguiding Marple:

After a year of VAT and insurance negotiation, planning permission and fund raising, the rebuilding of Girlguiding Marple District Headquarters has finally commenced and is scheduled to be completed in 18 weeks. It is the financial support we've received from Marple Scouts, local groups and individuals that has made this possible.

The work is being project managed by Colin Fox, of Randfield associates of Marple Bridge, and on behalf of Girlguiding I thank Colin for all the work and assistance he has given us throughout the project.

The project is by no means complete and we must continue our fund raising to purchase a kitchen, equipment, furniture, flooring and to recreate the car parking and garden. If any local companies can assist us in these areas, their contribution would be most welcome.

On completion, Girlguiding will be hosting an open day and evening to officially open our new building and to thank and acknowledge the efforts of all the people who have contributed to our rebuilding project.

Girlguiding hopes that the new building will be used by many other community groups and this has been considered in the design of the building. The building will meet the needs of people with disabilities and will have two meeting rooms that can be used independently. The rooms will be used from 6pm Monday to Friday by Girlguiding but will be available for hire each day and at weekends. The room hire charges have not yet been decided but as the aim of Girlguiding is to enable the building to be used by the wider community, and to make the building self-financing, the cost will reflect this.

Update: 14 June 2003
We've received the following update from Jennifer Sigley, District Commissioner Girlguiding Marple:

The project to reopen Girlguiding Headquarters is now entering the final stages of planning. Planning permission has yet to be confirmed and final settlement with our insurance company is still under negotiation. When all the formalities are completed Girlguiding Marple District will be able publish the project in detail.

Fund Raising.

The Fashion Show sponsored by MC Kay's in Marple was a great success and raised in excess of £600. The event was enjoyed by all and thanks everyone who supported the event.

Thanks to the Carver Theatre for their donation of £315.

The fund raising continues towards our target of £80,0000 to complete the planned project. To date we have raised £11,000 so there is still some way to go.

Dates for your Diary.

15th June Bag packing at Sainsburys in Cheadle. Come along and put some money in our buckets. (RAISED £1,109.85 plus 5 Euros!)

18th June Quiz Night at the Ring O' Bells, proceeds to Girlguiding, come along and bring a team.

21st June Marple Carnival  - Admire our Float and come along to Memorial Park where we have face painting, tombola and Buy a Brick.

29th June Car Boot Sale Rose Hill station car park come along and buy our plant's fresh from Chelford plant sales. There is a variety of perennial and herbaceous plants of the highest quality. There is also a variety of brick-a-brac on sale new items are always welcome, just bring them on the day.

5th July Ludworth Primary School PTA have given us a stall at their Summer fair come along and buy our soft toys.

13th July Children's Marathon Challenge Day Linnet Clough. The girls are sponsored to complete 26 challenges including an assault course,10 minute tent challenge, giant Jenga and 23 other challenges. Please sponsor the girls when asked, or perhaps you would like to challenge all the girls to complete all the challenges - let me know! The sponsorship money will be divided equally between "Children with Leukaemia" and Girlguiding.

16th July Quiz Night at the Ring O' Bells, proceeds to Girlguiding, come along and bring a team.

27th July Car Boot Sale Rose Hill station car park come along and buy our plant's fresh from Chelford plant sales. There is a variety of perennial and herbaceous plants of the highest quality. There is also a variety of brick-a-brac on sale new items are always welcome just bring them on the day.

31st August Car Boot Sale Rose Hill station car park come along and buy our plant's fresh from Chelford plant sales. There is a variety of perennial and herbaceous plants of the highest quality. There is also a variety of brick-a-brac on sale new items are always welcome just bring them on the day.

11th October Bag packing at Marple Co-op.

26th October Car Boot Sale Rose Hill station car park come along and buy our plant's fresh from Chelford plant sales. There is a variety of perennial and herbaceous plants of the highest quality. There is also a variety of brick-a-brac on sale new items are always welcome just bring them on the day.

Planned Events.

We will shortly be launching our grand raffle which will be drawn at the opening of Headquarters. The major prize will be a television with 20 plus other prizes which have been donated by Marple traders. Please buy tickets.

We will be holding a Hand Bell Ringing concert in October. There will be an opportunity to have a go and the concert will be followed by cheese and wine. (Date to be finalized)

We plan to hold a Body Shop evening. There will be make-up demonstrations and wine to sip. (Date to be finalized)

Thank you all for your continued support.

Jennifer Sigley 
District Commissioner
Girlguiding Marple District 

Update: 19 April 2003
We now have the details of the fashion show to be held at All Saints' School in aid of the Guide's HQ Rebuilding Fund:

FASHION SHOW SPONSORED BY MACKAY'S
THURSDAY 15 MAY

at All Saints' School, Brickbridge Road, Marple

Doors Open : 6.45 pm
Show Starts : 7.30 pm

Price: per Adult - £2.50, per Child - £1.50
price includes one free drink per ticket

Raffle, Craft Show & Refreshments available on the night

To obtain your tickets please phone Karen Doherty on: 0161 449 5970
Or call in to Mackay's store on Market Street Marple

Update: 12 April 2003
Marple's Girl Guides continue to turn disaster into success with their excellent fund-raising efforts. Thanks again to Michaela for keeping us up-to-date with the report below.

In addition, we're pleased to announce that the money to be raised at two of the Ring o' Bells fun quizzes, one in June and one in July 2003, will be donated to the Guide's HQ rebuilding fund.

Just to let you know that the Coffee Morning on 5 April raised £900 and during that day we also had £70 donations. A fantastic amount of support! Thanks go out to all the organisers, helpers and of course the people of Marple for such fantastic support!

Marple Scouts have also donated their share of the profits from the Gang Show - this is fantastic news for us and really helps us in our cause. Thank you to all the Scouts.

There is a fund raising fashion show taking place at All Saints School, Marple on Thursday 15th May, McKay's are kindly organising the clothes - more details to follow.

Think that is it for now - more to come soon!

Update: 16 March 2003
Following the street collection in Marple Precinct yesterday, we've received this update from Jennifer Sigley, Girlguiding Marple District Commissioner:

Girlguiding Marple District would like to say a big thank you to the people of Marple for supporting our street collection today - 15th March. The total raised was £566.81 - a real boost to the launch of our rebuilding/equipment fund.

We still have a long way to go to replace our equipment and to rebuild our Headquarters but today - in sharing with the community our commitment to Girlguiding in Marple - we realise there is community support for Girlguiding and a recognition of its value as a youth organisation.

I would like to ask if any local, national or indeed international companies would consider sponsorship of one of our rooms or areas of the new HQ building. The room or area could be named by the company as a permanent record of their contribution and support. If anyone represents a company that may be interested in doing this, please use the contact details below:

Jennifer Sigley Jenny@pear-tree12.freeserve.co.uk
District Commissioner
Girlguiding Marple District 

Update: 4 March 2003
We've received the following update from Michaela, a representative of Marple Girlguiding. It's great that something positive can come from such an evil deed and it's very rewarding that we have been able to contribute towards this. Keep your eye on this page for further developments:

Many thanks for the page you did on the Guide Headquarters - it is fabulous! You asked me to keep you updated on the situation:

1. Through the Marple Website page we have received over £250 in donations already - which is fantastic and we wish to thank people for their support.

On Saturday 15th March between 10am and 2pm we are holding a street collection outside Iceland in the precinct and Hollins DIY shop. We are putting up a couple of display boards of photos of the Headquarters to raise awareness of what has happened. The Brownies and Guides will be supporting this.

On Saturday 5th April there is a coffee morning being organised at the Scout Headquarters - cake stall and tombola definitely there! - more details to follow.

Plans for the headquarters rebuild should be unveiled by the end of this month - so I can let you know more then!

Disaster Strikes Marple Guide Headquarters In the early hours of Sunday morning, on 26th January 2003, disaster struck at the Marple Guide Headquarters on Brickbridge Road, Marple. The Headquarters was broken into at 3am and, when the perpetrators couldn't find anything of value to steal, they decided to burn the place down. All Marple Guiding history was gone in an instant. Marple Fire Brigade tackled the blaze, but the heat was so intense that a gas main was ruptured, and it was two hours before the firefighters were able to gain control. By this time half of the building had been gutted and the Brownie and Guide units had lost camping equipment, cooking utensils and everything in the fully-stocked kitchen. Marple Girlguiding are determined to be positive and are rebuilding the headquarters using insurance money but we need to raise a lot more money to refurbish the interior, as we have lost everything. Marple Girlguiding will not be deterred by what has happened. All units were offered a place to meet within hours of the fire and our thanks go out to all the people at Marple Scouts, All Saints Church, Marple Methodist Church and Marple United Reform Church, who have helped us to keep Girlguiding in Marple alive. If anyone can offer either their professional help or wish to donate time or money to help us rebuild this important community asset, then please contact Jennifer Sigley, Marple Girlguiding District Commissioner on 0161 427 6881 or by email on jenny@pear-tree12.freeserve.co.uk Thankyou.