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Outdoor Guiding in Wales

In Wales, the government announced on Monday, 13th July that up to 30 people can meet outdoors if organised by a business, a public body or charitable institution, a club, or the national governing body of sport or other activity.

Girlguiding UK have also released guidance this week for volunteers & the correct steps to take if you choose to start planning your outdoor meetings. We understand this is not an overnight process or decision. 

At present we do not see face-to-face guiding indoors happening until at least the end of September so you may want to consider planning your meeting outdoors. You may also want to digest this information over the summer holidays and move things forward if you wish in September.

Girlguiding Official Guidance and Information

Now that lockdown measures are easing in areas of the UK, some outdoor guiding can take place. If you are planning an activity with girls outdoors; there are some things that you must complete and somethings that you cannot do!

Some things you MUST do:

  • Talk with your local commissioner to discuss and agree your plans

  • Complete the checklist. *You can only meet outdoors if you can answer yes to each question.

  • Complete a risk assessment using the template and ensure this is signed-off, by your local commissioner, you must also ensure you have shared this with the other leaders in your group. Please allow your commissioner time to deal with this request, which could take 2 weeks to sign off. Once this is completed, your commissioner will record on GO that you have the authorisation to restart.

  • Have a minimum of two leaders for your meeting irrelevant of which section and adhere to section ratios.

  • Keep up to date with local COVID-19 advice by checking the government website: https://gov.wales/coronavirus  and Girlguiding UK Website: www.girlguiding.org.uk/making-guiding-happen/coronavirus-keeping-safe/

  • Check your available local outdoor space for suitability.

  • Make sure that you have the relevant and valid Safe Space Training, DBS, First Response for your unit.

  • Ensure your parent contact details are up to date should you need to reschedule your outdoor meeting.

  • Ensure Information and Consent forms are completed for your activity

  • Obtain authorisation from your Commissioner to hold your outdoor meeting

    Finally, it is important that you are fully compliant with Girlguiding policies and procedures and you have had your accounts completed, submitted and verified within the last 12 months.  You might want to revisit the 'Doing Our Best' checklists which have all the information you might need in one place.

What you CANNOT do:

At the moment you cannot:

• Attend or organise a residential for this year
• Collect or take girls to your meetings
• Go indoors even if its’ raining

We are currently receiving a number of questions around International trips.  A reminder that aside from trips postponed from 2020 to 2021 or already contracted to for 2021, the current advice is to proceed with great caution and obtain permission and advice before you progress any future plans. If you have any questions please contact your local commissioner or the International Adviser.


Download Template Letters

Click the link that applies to your unit below, scroll down to the bottom of the page and you can download these templates from there.

The Welsh Government Current Guidelines

Organised outdoor activities, including team sports and classes, involving up to 30 people are able to go ahead from Monday, 13 July. The activity must be outdoors and organised by a business, a public body or charitable institution, a club, or the national governing body of sport or other activity. The person organising the activity needs to have carried out an appropriate risk assessment. LEARN MORE

“Thank you to all our volunteers and girls for your continued support, enthusiasm & understanding during this time. This is an ever-changing situation and we intend to provide you with the most recent and correct information and advice as it becomes available.” - Girlguiding Cymru HQ

This information was last updated on: 22/07/2020