The Trefoil Guild

Once a Guide, always a Guide ... B-P

Guilds may be established wherever enough interested people can be found, and are in direct contact with the State Trefoil Guild Adviser. A Guild is a self governing body and is financially self supporting.

A Region Leader who has a Trefoil Guild in her areas has no direct responsibility towards it, but is encouraged to take an interest and perhaps become a member.

The Trefoil  Guild should not be looked upon as being only for older members. Young women are encouraged to keep their link with Guiding while studying at tertiary level, training for a career or while their family is young, if their time for more regular Guiding is limited.

AIMS:

• to keep the spirit of the Promise and Law by carrying into the community the personal standards and ideals of service.
• to enjoy the fellowship of 'belonging'
• to give support to Guiding

In their support for active Guiding, members of the Trefoil Guild are usually very willing to assist in many ways. For example, as badge assessors, instructors; taking the occasional meeting in a Leaders absence; helping with special events in the District or Region; entertaining visitors or offering hospitality; as speakers at meetings; chatting about Guiding in former days - young people are usually fascinated by these stories.

Guild members appreciate being invited to Guiding activities in the area, and all should be aware of their existence and be grateful for any help they can give. We, in turn, should be prepared to share Guiding with them.

HISTORY

For many years small groups of former Guides met together under various names in several parts of Australia, to enjoy social outings, maintain friendships and to give service where they saw a need. During the forties, several groups became more organised but it was not until 1960 that the first Australian Trefoil Guild Recorder was appointed. The corresponding group to the Trefoil Guild in the Scout Association is the Baden-Powell Scout Guild. About the same time the Australian Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides was formed by Trefoil Guilds and B-P Scout Guilds. Every member of the Trefoil Guild is automatically a member of the International Fellowship of Former Scouts and Guides and entitled to wear its badge. State and international gatherings of the Trefoil Guilds are held from time to time.

Each State has a Trefoil Guild Adviser who is the link between the Guides in her State and the Australian Trefoil Guild Adviser.

If a Region Leader believes there is a demand for a Guild in her area, she should contact the State Trefoil Guild Adviser and discuss it with her.

Guild members do not wear a uniform, but many have a distinctive form of dress. All may wear a special Trefoil Guild badge.

Joan Burch has created a personalised site for Trefoil Guild members.  Drop in and have a peek at what they have been up to lately

Coming events...