Fe Dunachie

How long have you been in Girlguiding?

I have been in Girlguiding for over 30 years, starting as a brownie at age 7, onto Guides, became a young leader and a Ranger, then was enrolled as a Guide Guider on my 18th birthday. Since then as a leader I have been a Guide Guider, Brownie Guider and currently am Guider in Charge of Colneis Division Rangers in Felixstowe – a unit I reopened in 2010.

Describe your journey into your county role:

Alongside being a unit leader, I have also undertaken the roles of District Commissioner, Division Camp Advisor and County Sports Advisor. I was approached by the County Commissioner at the time to see if I would be interested in the role as OAA, “only an hour a week” and I was in! So I am now the County Outdoor Activities Advisor and have been in this role since October 2017.

Is there anything that stands out, any proud achievements?

Our County Camp in 2019, ‘Guiditude’, was my first large-scale event when I started as OAA in 2017, with less than two years to find a team, get plans in place and implement so I had to hit the ground running! The end result was a camp of fun, festivities, lots of positive feedback from girls, leaders and external activity providers; and new found firm friends for life. We are in the process of planning the next county camp and I can’t wait!

What do you enjoy the most in your role?

Throughout my ‘Guiding career’ I have made lifelong friends – many in the small pocket of Colneis Division in Felixstowe where my unit is; but more widely with my county role I get to meet like-minded leaders from across our county. I love to see the enjoyment girls and women have participating in events we run – and hearing the girls excitedly telling their parents/carers at the end of the day of all the fun things they have been doing and new things they have tried.

What do you enjoy the most about representing your county?

Being able to contribute and help to shape Girlguiding in Suffolk, ‘working’ alongside great friends along the way and providing new and exciting opportunities for girls and leaders alike.