Members of the Unit attended the New County Girlguiding Volunteers Event at Oxford Four Pillars Hotel

To celebrate the Centenary Anniversary of the Ranger Section, Horizon's Leaders laid on a Spectacular Mystery Day as the highlight of our celebration. 

This actually happened when members of the Unit met at 6.00am and drove clutching their passports, to Birmingham Airport, heading for an unknown destination! It turned out to be Belfast, flying on Flybe Airlines, with a crew who were so supportive of Guiding they allowed Jasmine her Promise Ceremony in the cockpit after the flight had landed.
An open top bus tour and a visit to the Titanic Experience, plus some sightseeing, made for an incredible day with a return home just before midnight. Thanks Cheryl for making it all possible.

A visit to the Oxford Gang Show, making soaps, bath bombs, face creams and shampoos and entertaining 5th Kidlington Guides were all some of our Spring term activities. We also collected socks, sanitary wear and other toiletries and filled 16 sponge bags with goodies for Homeless Women then received a visit from the Leadership Team at O'Hanlon House Homeless Shelter - a very interesting talk! Thank you...
We had a go at Yoga by candlelight, and some of the Mission Spectacular activities, then an Easter egg hunt before ending the term by purchasing one of West Oxford's owls for their HOOT Challenge and decorating it with a mosaic of old Ordnance Survey maps!!

We knew those those old, damp torn maps would come in useful!!

Girlguiding Oxfordshire took the opportunity of Eleanor's award ceremony to surprise Leader, Cheryl, with an Oxfordshire Lozenge. The Lozenge is given for something special or for outstanding work and in Cheryl’s case her citation mentioned her contribution over many years to the Oxford Gang Show as well as her exceptional work with Horizon Rangers.

DAY 1 - Traveling, reaching KISC and setting up camp and eating out-

Many members attended the County Camp though in Leadership roles rather than as Rangers, whilst yet others visited helping run the Backwoods Cooking.

Badges attached to boxes of smiles (from an idea by John Lennon), a Bar-b-cue, Chief Guide's Award for Frankie, Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards for Brigid & Eleanor and Silver and Gold DofE Awards for Lucy. Thank you Andrea (County Commissioner) for presenting all those. A very pleasant evening.

Our Be Prepared Challenge was devised to cover some of the skills needed in the Independent Living Octant. The girls are challenged to repair a garment, sew on a button, turn off the electrical supply to the building, make a vessel out of paper to carry a drink of water into the next room, make a stretcher and carry a casualty, bleed a radiator, unblock a sink, turn off the water in the building, carry a casualty out of a smoke filled room, put on an arm sling, place a casualty in the recovery position, change a plug, make up a baby's feed, climb up and rescue an animal off the building roof, light a fire with only 2 matches etc. Emma & Katherine organised the meeting and the photo shows some of the girls putting a nappy on a baby.

The Court of award Celebration on the 18th July was marked with the presentation of Disability Awareness awards, Brecon Beacon patches & Sun run badges pinned to ribbons attached to balloons, that kept unexpectedly popping. Nette was thrilled to receive even more flowers and gifts on her retirement as Guider in Charge and Becky was presented with her 150 Nights Away Badge.

20 Past & present members of Horizon meant
packing the cars was interesting!!

Friday night is party night & the theme this year: 'Anything from a previous year'
Neon & the Eighties were popular!!

Chilling out, watching the acts, a bit of karaoke,
all before the off.

Runners ready to go.

Rangers were privileged to have Witney Belly Dancers in to run a workshop during the Spring term. Other Programme activities included a highly successful Geocaching Evening, the completion of our Assertiveness Course, a Chocolate Murder Mystery Party, and visits to the Oxford Gang Show & Build A Bear. We also spent time spent on Look Wider activities and held a Beetle Drive, where we raised £90 which we split between our International account and the Rebuilding Appeal.

Eating out at a French cafe on the Sunday, the first night, with affiliate-member, Flic, who is studying in Paris at the moment.

On the Open Top Bus Tour around the City on the Monday

and later it started to drizzle.
Below: wandering around at Notre Dame.

After our Promise Ceremony & busy day we ate out at Pizza Pina on Place de la Republic.

In the Hostel.

Monday later still, at the Eiffel Tower

where 5 members, Jennifer, Brigid, Heather, Helen and Tilly made their Promise to Cheryl (afterwards, below)

On the Tuesday morning after breakfast in the hostel we walked to the Paris Chocolate Museum.

Then on to Bateaux Parissienne for another tour.



Before splitting up to do our own thing, making our way round the City on the train & metro.


Finally we met up and ate at a Buffalo Grill just off of Place de la Republic, not far from the Hostel.

Wednesday we spent all day at EuroDisney, not leaving until after the Laser/Firework Display.

Thursday we all went to Sacre Couer and Montmartre, before dispersing to do our own thing, then meeting up and going to Le Pachyderme Cafe, 2 Bis bd St Martin, for our final meal together.

All set and ready to go. Horizon members at the start of their Expedition.

Nearly finished, wet but still cheerful!!

Nikki's First ever Promise Ceremony. A milestone!!