geography project part 3- pax lodge, guiding in the UK

Pax Lodge

There has been 3 different locations of the English world centre

1.    Our ark (1939-59)

2.    Olave house (1959-88)

3.    Pax lodge (officially opened in 1991)

Moving to pax lodge:

By 1978, plans were underway to move again. The idea of the Olave Centre Project formed and three years later, the Project had a site: 12c Lyndhurst Road, in Hampstead. An area famous for its artistic and literary connections.

A new name had to be found for the empty lot that was to become the World Centre and it was decided to name it ‘Pax Lodge’ as a tribute to the Baden-Powells who had used the Latin word for peace ‘pax’ in the names of their two homes, Pax Hill in England and Paxtu in Kenya. The name also highlights that peace is an important part of the Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting Movement.

The ceremony for Pax Lodge was held on 8 November 1988. The following year on 6 May, The Honorable Mrs. Betty Clay, daughter of Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, unveiled the foundation stone – on the fiftieth anniversary of Our Ark and 100 years after the birth of the World Chief Guide. The building took around 18 months to build, but by July 1990, staff were ready to move into Pax Lodge. The new Centre could accommodate 59 people and had a large dining room, kitchen, lobby lounge, library, resource centre, shop, TV room, guest kitchen, and a staff/resident wing. On 1 August, Pax Lodge received its first guests.

The pax lodge song:

We wish you love (We wish you love).

We wish you light (We wish you light).

We wish you colours soft and bright.

We wish you light (We wish you light).

We wish you love (We wish you love).

We wish you peace on the wings of a snow white dove.

VERSE 1

And with our sisters by our side

we learn to lead, we learn to guide.

We clear the path, we pave the way

to peace on earth, to a brighter day.

CHORUS

VERSE 2

Sometimes the road is hard and long

and yet together we are strong,

and as we weave life’s tapestry,

each colour blends in harmony.

CHORUS

VERSE 3

Wherever we wander, wherever we roam,

Pax Lodge will always be our home.

A place where strangers soon are friends,

I’ll meet you there, where the rainbow ends.

Girlguiding UK

Guides in England are divided up into 3 groups

·       Rainbows- age five to seven

·       Brownies- age seven to ten

·       Guides- age 10 to 14

·       Senior Section- age 14 to 25

English promise:

Rainbows:

I promise that I will do my best:

to love my God

and to be kind and helpful.

Brownies:

I promise that I will do my best:

to love my God ,

to serve the Queen and my country,

to help other people

and to keep the Brownie Guide law.

Guides, Senior Section and Leaders:

I promise that I will do my best:

to love my God,

to serve the Queen and my country,

to help other people

and to keep the Guide Law.

In addition members of the Senior Section promise

To be of service to the community

images from here and here