Check out our gallery for photo's of many of these activities..
We Have Moved !.
We have moved to our very own exciting Facebook page especially made for the parents of todays Brownies. Please see Brown owl to tell her you will be sending her a friend request for access. A facebook search for Sue Byrne is the only way to find her To all our ex Brownies you can continue to enjoy all the great archive stuff on this website. Best Wishes, Rob.
2015 Nativity Play.
Congratulations to all our girls for an excellent performance of the Nativity in front of parents and family. Everybody without exception performed well and really deserve their entertainers badge. Pic in the gallery.
2015 Paultons Summer Trip.
It was a drizzly old day but that didn't prevent us from having fun on our annual summer trip, this time to Paultons. We enjoyed the various rides and saw birds, and animals, including penguin feeding time.
2015 Carnival Court.
Brownies enjoyed a visit from Bishopstoke's three carnival princesses and had the chance to ask many questions about what they do and how they became princesses. Our girls were also awarded prizes for entering the carnival programme illustration contest with two of our number achieving first and second place. Well Done!
2015 Easter Bonnets.
The girls made a good selection of Easter bonnets this year for our Easter evening. They also enjoyed crafts and an egg hunt. It was a special night for our Tawny Owl too as she was presented with her twenty year service badge from the DC. Well done !
2014 Nativity Play.
Congratulations to all our girls who put on a brilliant Nativity play for their parents and families. From my vantage point sweating over a hot teapot in Rob's Cafe, it looked excellent and your Entertainer badges are well deserved.
Joint Spooky Party.
Thanks to the first Bishopstoke for a very enjoyable spooky party with lots of fun and food. Pics of the Ghouls in our gallery.
Joint Big Brownie Birthday Picnic.
Itchen Valley Country Park was the venue for our Big Brownie Birthday Picnic where we were joined by leaders and brownies from the 1st Bishopstoke Brownies for an afternoon of parachute games, rounders and fun in the play park. The afternoon was a great success as yet again the weather gods spared us from any rain . Photies as usual in the gallery.
Carnival Success
Yet again one of our Brownies has scooped first prize in the annual carnival programme artwork competition, well done you !!!.
Summer trip to Sandown Zoo IOW
The weather forecast was for thunder and lightning and heavy showers and as we met at the railway station under leaden skies, it seemed to be correct. The trip into Portsmouth on the train saw the skies open and the promised storm unleashed, however by the time we got off the train for our walk to the hovercraft the rain had all but ceased.
The hovercaft and quirky Island Line train caused much joy and excitement as we zoomed over the Solent then bumped and rattled down to Sandown. The sun burst into a deep blue sky and we enjoyed a fantastic summer day. Lunch was at the beach and then we visited the zoo, a brilliant little zoo inside the walls of a Victorian fort. The girls experienced tiger feeding time an an animal encounter where they even got to hold a snake (Royal Python for those who wish to know).All too soon it was time to journey back to Eastleigh after a long, fun but tiring day.
2014 Walk the County
The weather was kind for all the Brownies "walking the county" as part of Hampshire West's big Brownie Birthday Bash. We met up with other Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford Brownies at the Bandstand on the Rec before setting off on our leg to the Fleming Arms in Swaythling. The sun shone down on us making it a very pleasant walk, and ending at a pub gave some of the parents the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing Sunday lunchtime drink or meal. Well done all those girls that attended you certainly earned your commemorative badge.
Fire Safety Evening.
Thanks to Mike Ralph for bringing in his Fire Engine for our Fire Safety Evening. The girls really enjoyed the visit which was a total surprise to them, they dressed up in firefighter uniforms and even had a go with the hoses !!! The vehicle itself once saw service at the Milford Haven oil refinery in Wales in an emergency response role mostly using foam to control oil fires. Thanks again Mike and Gem for a great evening..
2014 Easter Bonnets.
Our last Brownie meeting before the Easter holidays gave the girls a chance to show off their Easter bonnets, clearly a lot of effort went into them as you can see if you go to our photo galleries page. we also had a scavenger hunt, made iced biscuits and had an egg hunt. Thanks also to one of our kind mums who brought in Cadbury Mini Eggs for the girls. Have a lovely holiday , we'll see you all next term.
New Forest Meddlars
Brownies had a great time when they attended a district event at which the New Forest Meddlars put on a superb demonstration of traditional Morris Dancing. Later in the evening there was much laughter and clattering of sticks as leaders, guides and brownies took to the floor. It was a lot of fun and a great way to keep fit too. If you're interested in taking this up as a hobby they are always looking for new members and can be found at the folllowing link. New Forest Meddlars
2013 Brownie Nativity
Brownies took part in our annual nativity play. The hut was packed with parents and relatives who enjoyed a really good performance followed by tea / coffee and minced pies. Well done everybody ! A full video of the performance is available to view from the video link on this website.
Tree Planting and Litter Picking with the Forestry Commission
Our Brownies enjoyed a fine, sunny autumnal day when they joined other Rainbows, Brownies and Guides from the district to plant trees and litter pick with the Forestry Commission in Stoke Park Woods. The commission had previously donated some large logs to act as seating around our new campfire ring at the district HQ, so as a thank you to them we agreed to come along and give them a helping hand. We'd like to thank Ben and Dan the rangers who looked after us in the woods and told us about the trees , animals and plants that live and grow there. It was a lovely morning that we all enjoyed.
District Campfire BBQ.
It was a glorious evening for our district BBQ which was well attended and enjoyed by the Guides and Brownies. There were games and songs and a couple of impromptu performances, then marshmallows were toasted around our newly installed campfire ring. Rob and Anna were presented long service badges, much to their surprise, during the evening by Lesley the D.C. Thanks of course is due to the various leaders for all there efforts which resulted in such an enjoyable event for all. Extra special thanks however go to Emily Braithwaite and Ben Phelan of the Forestry Commission, who very kindly donated and prepared our log benches for the ring, Lee for providing the van to move them and Cathy for hunting down the perfect brazier which was the centrepiece of the evening.
Bishopstoke Carnival Competitiion.
Bishopstoke Carnival Queen attended Brownies tonight to present prizes for the carnival programme illustrating competition. Congratulations to our girls we had both runners up and the overall winner. Thanks is also due to Julie from the carnival committee and Queen Holly, for presenting the prizes.
Cupcake Decorating Evening.
Tonight we were treated to a cupcake decorating workshop with Debbie Osmond from Cupcakes Time for Tea. The girls worked with Debbie in groups of six to create some decorated cupcakes and sit down to a table laid out with fine china crockery. At the end of the evening they got to take home their boxed cupcake. Many thanks to Debbie for giving up her time and ingredients to come along.
Cupcakes Time for Tea provide tea parties locally and can be contacted via email; cupcakestimefortea@gmail.com or by phone 07758 397035
Southsea Summer Trip 2013.
The wind blasted the seafront in Southsea today on our visit to Pirate Pete's and the Blue Reef. The hurricane simulator in the foyer of the aquarium was unused as wind driven waves crested the sea wall on which we had posed for photograhs only a couple of hours before. At least it didm't rain. The brownies enjoyed indoor play and a Wimpy meal before moving on to see the IOW hovercaft roar up onto the beach and then the fish , amphibians , reptiles and otters at Blue reef. The day was rounded off with play on the common and a trip back on the train. Thanks due for our new young leader for her valuable help today.
Geocache and Photo Fun.
Tonight we had fun with technology. Starting with a treasure hunt (otherwise known as Geocaching) around Bishopstoke where we found two with the aid of the leaders mobile phone Geocaching App. After a break for juice and biscuits back at the hut we once more used a smartphone App (Face Swap) to have fun mixing up Brownies faces in photographs with hilarious and sometimes scarey results. Have a look at our gallery to see the results.
Thinking Day 2013.
As usual we enjoyed our annual thinking day party to celebrate the birthday of our founders, Lady Olave and Lord Robert Baden-Powell . We had an American supper and games followed by a short ceremony in which we think of members of the movement from around the world and donate polished copper coins which are used by the Thinking Day Fund to set up other units so that ore girls are able to enjoy the fun that we take for granted.
2012 Brownie Christmas Party.
As usual we ended our year with the annual Christmas party. Thanks to all for the fine spread of food but a big thank you goes to the mum of one of our Brownies that left us tonight who provided a fully iced and decorated Christmas cake this has been a regular treat for many years, we'll miss you :-) Also thanks is due to our two guide helpers who ran the games for us tonight and of course the usual crew for their efforts during the year. As implied earlier, we lost our two senior Brownies tonight, it has been a pleasure having you with us, good luck for the future. Have a great Christmas everybody and we'll see you all back in January.
2012 Brownie Nativity.
Parents and grandparents packed the hut tonight for our 2012 Brownie Nativity. The girls performed and sang superbly, and this year for the first time ever the girls signed "Away in a manger" for the hard of hearing, a big thank you must be said to one of our parents (you know who you are) who spent time coaching the girls. The evening was rounded off with refreshments and a natter. Be sure to check out film of the performance on our video page. Merry Christmas everybody !
Brownies are 30 !!!.
4th Bishopstoke Brownies have celebrated their 30th birthday in style with Brownies and leaders old and new attending a fun party. The 4th were formed on September 21st 1982 and to celebrate this milestone old girls and current Brownies came together to play traditional Brownie games to music from the 80's, they also enjoyed an American supper and a superb Birthday cake baked by one of our mums (Thank you, you know who you are) With numbers of girls wanting to become Brownies growing we look forward to at least another 30 years
2012 Bishopstoke Centenary Carnival.
This year Bishopstoke Carnival celebrated 100 years, so was very special. We entered as "Greybeard and his salty shipmates" (Can't think why Brown Owl chose that name), The sun shone and there were many entrants. The mayor of Eastleigh inspected them all and happily we were judged as the best walking child entry winning a small trophy, Well done everyone !!!
Carnival Court Come to Brownies.
A touch of glamour came to Brownies with a visit from the Bishopstoke Carnival Court.This year is the centenary of the village carnival and as usual a competition to find a cover illustration for the carnival brochure was held. Imagine how proud we were to be informed that two girls from our pack had won first and second prize. The carnival court and committee very kindly came to award the prizes along with colour pencil sets for the other girls. The carnival queen and junior princess captivated our girls who were full of questions and admiration for the beautiful dresses. Many thanks to the carnival court and committee for a memorable evening..
Alice in Woderland Summer Trip 2012.
The weather was a bit of a worry for our summer trip to the Alice in Wonderland.theme park in Dorset, but we need not have worried, apart from a strong wind and a few heavy clouds it stayed dry right up to our dash back to the mini bus. A good day out was had by Brownies and leaders alike as we got lost in the maze, dizzy in the tea cups and sick on the Ghostly Galleon. There were shrinking hedges, croquet, shows, more rides an indoor playzone and of course the gift shop to be enjoyed too before we returned home exhausted.
Queens Diamond Jubilee 2012.
Our celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee started with a small pack party on Brownie night. We took advantage of the good weather for a picnic and parachute games in our HQ garden. As Sunday approached the weather outlook didn't look good, with much rain being forcast. However after a short but sharp lunchtime shower the weather brightened and we even had warm sunshine for our joint Guide and Scout party. The children, parents and invited guests from West Drive enjoyed a veritable feast. There was dough baking, face painting, crown and spinner making as well as ball games and a chance to just sit and have a natter, even our local PCO popped in for a cuppa and a chat. The spectacular Union Jack cake was ceremonially cut by Janet Parker the county commissioner before the party came to a leisurely spun out end. A good time was had by all, and we must thank the 12th Eastleigh Scouts for their efforts today, it was a superb community event.
Remembrance Day 2011.
We had a lovely warm sunny day for the annual remembrance day parade and service at St Mary's, very unusual for November ! Thanks to the girls that turned out especially our flag bearer who did a stirling job.Hopeully we can improve on the 60% turn out next year.
Southsea Summer Trip 2011.
This years summer trip was to Southsea. Overcast weather in the morning gave way to warm summer sunshine in the afternoon. We started the day in Pirate Pete's on Clarence Pier where the girls had fun in the Galleon Ball pool and enjoyed a Wimpy overlooking the busy Solent. After a stroll along the promenade, watching the hovercraft go out and having a climb on the D Day tanks we eventually arrived at Southsea Model Village, a quaint highly recommended place with charming and amusing models, Underground Napoleonic tunnels and not forgetting the model castle on a hill with great views over Southsea, the Solent and the Isle of Wight. The afternoon was rounded off with ice creams a play in the adventure playground and a visit to the gift shop. All returned home tired but happy ! Photo's can be viewed on the gallery page.
Lightwave.
Many thanks to Cassie, Kate, Zhihuny and Liam from Lightwave for a fantastic science evening. Lightwave are a group of Phd students from the Optoelectronics department of Southampton University who perform spectacular demonstrations in their spare time to inspire and engage youngsters in science. The brownies learned about optical fibres, lasers, light and sound waves and optical illusions. The evening was great fun and the browies loved every minute, learning a great deal into the bargain ! At the end of the evening came the grand finale, the lights were dimmed and a laser beam was shone through a tank of water, a tap was then opened forming a small waterfall into a lower tank. The brownies watched in awe as the laser light was bent through the falling water. (see pictures in the gallery) We highly recommend Lightwave and once again offer our thanks.
Remembrance Sunday.
Thank you to the girls and their parents for supporting the annual Remembrance Sunday parade and service at St Mary's, despite the rain. It's a very important day in our calendar and as such every Brownie should make the effort to attend.
Brownie Success.
Congratulations must go to a couple of our Brownies. The first has successfully gained a place in the big Scout and Guide Showtime show after auditioning. The second has reached the Irish Dance Finals in Dublin. Well done to them both !!!
Autumn Fun.
It's that time of year our pack has lot's of fun, we had a spooky party where there were lots of games, music and food for the ghoulish looking brownies to enjoy, as usual there were some great costumes too. The following week we had our annual firework party where after a "spectacular" display we enjoyed hot dogs, crisps and chocolate to warm us up. Of course when we return from half term break there will be all the fun of the run up to Christmas.
Alice in Wonderland Trip 2010.
This years summer trip was to Alice in Wonderland World at Hurn near Bournemouth, we were blessed with a bright sunny day and made the most of it by enjoying the many rides and vast maze. We also enjoyed two live shows with Alice and the Queen of Tarts , a big indoor play area and of course the well stocked gift shop (Sorry about the noisy whistles parents !!!) We returned in the early evening just in time to enjoy the unbridled pleasure of the England USA world cup game, with all the brownies fully behind England (shame they weren't behind Rob Green !!!)..... (video in gallery)
Thinking Day Welcome.
Tonight we had a very special Thinking Day party where along with the usual ceremonies and high jinks, we were pleased to welcome the leaders and girls of the 3rd Bishopstoke Brownies into our ranks, as sadly due to falling numbers the pack closed it's doors for the last time before half term. We hope they have a long and happy time with us in the 4th Bishopstoke. (photo in gallery)
Entertainers Badge.
The girls put their heads together to make and perform with puppets as part of their entertainers badge. They followed this up with "solo spots" including various singing dancing and recital acts. Picture in the gallery. Well done everybody for earning your badges in such a fun and entertaining way!
Paultons Summer Trip 2009.
The sun was shining and the minibus started at the first turn of the key, it looked a promising start to our annual summer trip, this year to Paultons Park. We were not to be disappointed as we enjoyed a fun packed day of rides, birds, dinosaurs and a very energetic dancing clown. Lot's of photo's on the gallery page !
Magic Lantern Show.
A marvellous Magic lantern show was enjoyed by all when local residents and enthusiasts, Stan and Jean Roberts brought in their equipment and slides to perform a truly magical show for the girls, there were entertaining slides involving Victorian cautionary tales for naughty boys and girls, nursery rhymes, photographs of the local Band of Hope parade along Riverside and many more amusing and Kaleidoscopic images. Thank you Stan and Jean for giving up your time to open our eyes to this wonderful mode of entertainment from yesteryear. Please see gallery for photograph.
Falling Numbers.
We've been putting up posters in local shops and schools in an attempt to boost numbers, but if you have a friend who would be interested in being a Brownie and would like to see what we do please bring them along and introduce them to Brown Owl.
Spooky Party.
We all had a lot of fun, not to mention crisps, cakes and sausage rolls at our spooky party, Snowy decorated the hut and even had a smoke machine with her mini disco kit. Well done Snowy!
TrashFash.
The girls showed a lot of imagination and ingenuity with bin bags and old tat to make remarkably glamourous costumes at our trashfash themed evening. Pictures in the gallery.
