Petition started to save Blacklands Farm

The facilities will no longer be in use after 31 December 2023. This follows a separate decision to to close British Girlguiding Overseas (BGO) in September of this year.

The petition to save Blackland Farm in East Grinstead, along with four other girlguiding sites, so far has 23,480 signatures.

Jenni Schumann, who started this petition, said: “The five Girlguiding activity centres - Blackland Farm, Foxlease, Glenbrook, Waddow Hall and Ynysgain - have been offering outdoor and adventurous opportunities to Girlguiding members for many years - and whenever you visit one, you will always find new Guiding friends.

“The decision to sell the centres will affect not only a large number of members of staff, many of whom are Girlguiding volunteers in their own time, but also a huge number of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Leaders, Volunteers and Trefoil Guild members.

“Share your memories of the fantastic times you've had at a TAC with the hashtag #SaveOurCentres and also #Girlguiding”

Blackland Farm opened in 1938 and was donated to Girlguiding. It is home to a number of small outdoor adventure businesses that could be impacted by the closure, and the site is used by other groups such as schools and those completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

In a statement on the closure of BGO, a spokesperson for Girlguiding UK said: “BGO, including guiding for girls who live in British Overseas Territories, has been a valued part of Girlguiding UK for much of our 113-year history. Thousands of incredible volunteers have provided fun, friendship and adventure for girls who are living overseas. Girlguiding UK would like to thank everyone involved over the years for showing girls a world of opportunities big and small.

“We want to support girls and volunteers living overseas to be part of guiding in different ways in the future. We are working with volunteers to provide information and guidance to members living overseas and in British Overseas Territories on the options available for girls.”

Sign the petition at change.org – Girlguiding UK to review and reconsider the decision to sell the five activity centres

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