LOCAL BROWNIE UNIT HELP TO RAISE FUNDS IN BID TO SAVE GIRLGUIDING ACTIVITY CENTRE

St John’s Church, Newport recently held a Christmas Angels Sale, with a local Brownie Unit and a charity group present at the event. Refreshments were served and stalls offered a good selection of items suitable for Christmas Gifts and more. Stall holders included 10th Newport Brownies and Foxie’s Futures who are a group set up to support Foxlease, the Girlguiding activity Centre in the New Forest. Foxlease dates back over the centuries. The main house is Georgian, complete with Adam fireplace, In 1922 the house had been put up for sale at about the same time as the wedding of HRH Princess Mary who at the time was the President of the Girl Guide Association. All girls named Mary who were Girl Guides in the British Empire contributed to a Wedding Gift for the princess who insisted on a small personal gift so the bulk of the money was spent on the purchase of Foxlease with the house named Princess Mary House. Later, money raised at an exhibition of the Wedding Gifts (£6,000) was put towards the upkeep of Foxlease and later still Princess Mary donated £4,000. Foxlease is known for hosting the first Girl Guide World Camp in 1924, which 5 pioneering IW members attended. Foxlease also hosted  International and World Conferences. Over the years  members of Girlguiding IW have used Foxlease as an activity centre and regular camps have been held there. Hundreds of Girlguiding members, including a number of Isle of Wight members, have become “Friends of Foxlease” and undertaken fund raising events. All who have visited have fond memories and the site is much loved by those who have been there. Rooms were adopted by Guiding groups around the World. The Isle of Wight Room has often been refurbished by members here and decorations included Brannon Prints. Recently, plans were being drawn up for the creation of a “Museum of Guiding” to hold the extensive Guiding archives currently in store, but on 18th May 2023. the Girlguiding national trustees announced that Foxlease was to be sold along with four other training and activity centres in the UK. Foxie’s Future was formed and is looking for support (financial and other) with a view to the purchase of the site which covers 65 acres and includes the main house, camping and activity areas together with other properties. If you have been to Foxlease or would just like to preserve an ancient property, prevent over development or support the Foxie’s Future please contact them on www.foxiesfuture.co.uk They are hoping to raise £1million pounds by the end of the year and have a full business plan and support of the New Forest District Council. Girlguiding IW members say that in trying to encourage girls to appreciate the great outdoors it would be a shame to lose such an excellent facility.