Chief Guide praises the ARC’s “incredible guiding history”

Chief Guide Tracy Foster was the guest of honour on a time-travelling journey through the history of guiding when she visited the ARC for Heritage Open Day.

Three days of fun challenges and exhibitions were timetabled at the ARC’s HQ in Coltishall as part of the national Heritage Open Day celebrations in September.

Visitors took a trip on imaginary steam train, stopping off at different activity stations along the way.

Tracy praised the dedication of the team of ARC volunteers who had achieved official museum accreditation from the Arts Council earlier in the year.

“I never cease to be amazed by the incredible guiding history that you have here,” she told ARC volunteers, as she viewed some of the ARC’s 30,000 guiding artefacts.

She said a huge amount of work had gone into establishing the ARC and achieving the coveted museum status.

“If we don’t look after our heritage, we don’t remember where we have come from,” she said.

Ms Foster was one of over 120 visitors to the ARC’s Heritage Open Day weekend during which challenges and activities on a travel theme were staged by the volunteers.  These included an Escape Tent, Blitz cooking and marshmallow toasting along with exhibitions of the ARC’s collections.

She recorded an interview for the ARC’s Share My Story oral collection during her visit, saying she became a Brownie at the age of seven. She said guiding had given her the confidence to go on to be an adult leader and a commissioner, as well as taking on the role of Chief Guide.

“I was a very shy little Brownie – but you wouldn’t think that now!” she said.