TWO Girl Guides from the same Culcheth group are planning a fundraising drive after both being given the opportunity to travel to different international Guiding events next year.
Kate Davidson, 13, from Croft will join hundred of other Guides and Scouts from across the world at the Scout Jamboree in Sweden, while Zoe Isles, 14, from Birchwood will head for Siberia to spend time with families there and 
help set up new guiding groups.
Both girls attend 7th Culcheth Guide Group on a Wednesday evening at Culcheth Methodist Church and decided to apply for the trips after reading information about them there.
They both had to take part in a selection weekend last October and both beat scores of other girls to earn the opportunity to take the trips.
Now the girls each have to raise £1800 to fund their trips and a series of fundraisers is planned, including bag packing, sponsored events and appearances at local carnivals.
Zoe’s mum Sara Isles is an assistant leader at 7th Culcheth Guides. She said: “We’re really pleased for the girls. I don’t think it’s hit them yet because summer 2011 still seems a long way off.
“They will be travelling with Guides from other groups across the region so they are all meeting up soon to talk about what’s involved in each trip.
“The Group has managed to send Guides on trips like this before but not for a long time. The last time a Guide travelled to the jamboree was three years ago so this is really exciting for us.”
“There will be lots of benefits for them – it’s a social thing but also they’ll have the experience of travelling, fund-raising and keeping their accounts. When they return we’ll ask them to do a talk about their trip.
“Now the hard work begins! There are some grants that we can apply for and we’ll be looking into matched funding but we’ll be doing lots of fundraising events over the coming months.
“We are a very active unit with 35 girls meeting every week so we’ll have lots of help.”
The 3rd Culcheth Girl Guides, which meets at the Parish Hall is in danger of closing as one of its leaders has left. The group of 20 is looking for volunteers to help out.
Pictured: Kate Davidson (left) and Zoe Isles
