Reflecting on the WAGGGS Europe Conference

Five days after we arrived in Berlin, the UK delegation - bleary-eyed but still smiling - can feel pleased that we've achieved what we set out to do at the WAGGGS Europe Conference.

Amanda Medler, our UK candidate, has been elected to the Europe Committee and appointed Vice Chair. Members of the UK delegation did a brilliant job lobbying other Member Organisations in advance of the election, highlighting Amanda's impressive skills and experience, and I'm thrilled we got the result we wanted. We have a fantastic Committee, led by Switzerland's Corinna Hauri, to support the development and growth of Guiding in Europe over the next three years.

We've acted on the steer we received from Girlguiding UK Trustees, gaining support from many other Member Organisations in our request for clarity over how WAGGGS Regions are funded at World level.

And we've built all sorts of connections with other Member Organisations, sharing what we've been up to in Girlguiding and learning from our European colleagues. We also have a good understanding of the priorities of WAGGGS in the lead-up to the World Conference next year - in particular, the work they are doing on governance and the membership development strategy they are producing.

Proceedings can feel unwieldy. At 11.30pm on Sunday when Laura and I were several hours into discussions with the Procedural Team about the finer wording of the motion we were proposing, we felt like very small cogs in a massive machine. On the occasions when votes needed to be counted more than once, as we raised pink rectangles of cardboard, the process felt rather clunky.

But the Conference has a special role in acting as a common voice. There are a diverse range of Member Organisations across Europe - those which are girl-only like Girlguiding UK, those in which Scouts and Guides are together in one national organisation and a number of WAGGGS organisations that admit boys as members, following a pilot some years ago. Across these organisations, there are different perspectives on the route to take, but there is a common destination. All of us aim to make girls feel valued and support them to fulfil their potential.

As Lara Tonna said in her closing speech as outgoing Chair of the Europe Committee, Guiding and Scouting does not happen at European level. It is in villages and cities, in the mountains and countryside across Europe that volunteers provide opportunities for girls and young women to experience Guiding. The Europe Conference is a great motivator, demonstrating that we are part of a strong network and reminding us that our weekly meetings with young members contribute to the amazing worldwide patchwork of Guiding.

Speaking to Katerina, the International Commissioner of Greece, was particularly inspiring. Facing serious financial challenges, the Greek Guiding Association reached out to Girlguiding UK several months ago and we were delighted to be able to offer support via the Guide Friendship Fund. Katerina said the impact of us extending the hand of friendship was more than financial. She was able to demonstrate to her Board the importance of WAGGGS in knitting together members across the world. There's a common bond shared by all Guides and in times of challenge we help each other.

In closing, I'd like to say a huge thank you to all members of the UK delegation for their energy, enthusiasm and clear thinking. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the Conference with Gill, Pip, Laura, Amy and Jo, who has diligently been keeping readers of this blog updated. We were a great team and had a lot of fun - I wish everyone safe journeys home and a well-deserved rest.