The ARC at the Royal Norfolk Show

 Once again the ARC participated in the Royal Norfolk Show for 2026; the challenge this year being the hot, hot, hot aspect to it!  We welcomed approximately 700 visitors to the stand.  

We were pleased to be in a good situation along the front of the Girlguiding stand, supported with Norfolk Trefoil Guild, including ARC Trefoil Guild members, Girlguiding Norfolk and Hautbois Activity Centre.  

The volunteer team put together an interesting display including Friends of the ARC, the ARC Trefoil Guild, the launching of the Guide of Dunkirk and interactive activities based around our Nora project. Sorting badges, working out their names, looking into what you had to do to achieve them 100 years ago, looking at the fashion of swimsuits of the time, and trying to identify the mystery objects. We had our vintage badges on display too, but the piece de resistance had to be the four-tier anniversary cake, make to commemorate our tenth anniversary. How wonderful it is! Visitors were challenged to say Happy Anniversary by writing their favourite ARC memory on a heart-shaped post-it, and what delightful reading they make! More were invited online and they were added too. 

Some examples are: cheese dreams, sorting uniforms and discovering 1920s and 1930s tailoring, helping at the Jamboree making models with the young people, bringing my Brownie unit to the ARC for an evening learning about Girlguiding history! We LOVED it. , work experience@the ARC during high school, escape tent, hearing the ARC had museum status, thank you for keeping our treasures and memories, finding out you existed, our fantastic Paddington themed Mr Grubers Antique Shop, being tied up as a ‘burglar’, the wonderful enthusiasm of your volunteers, the day after I retired spending the day there helping Helen.  

What can we add to it from you? 

A highlight this week has been the free fresh lemonade drinks from City College. Just so delicious and much appreciated! A donation given to Shelter Box, Norfolk’s Trefoil Guild’s charity of the year.  

More opportunities to see the cake on our Anniversary weekend 11-12 July 2026 and at Heritage Open Days when we will be open Saturday – Monday 12, 13, 14 September from 10 to 4.