A Teenager from Frome has been selected to travel to India next year as part of a Girlguiding initiative.
Ivy Sledge, 14, has been chosen to join other Guides from around the South West on a 14-day trip to the Sangam World Centre in Pune, India, which is run by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
During the trip, Ivy will develop her leadership skills and participate in a community action project with a local period poverty charity. She will also have the opportunity to sight-see and visit New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
“It’s going to be amazing,” said Ivy, who is a student at Frome College. “I am a bit nervous at the same time because I am the only one from my guiding unit in Frome who has been selected to go on the trip.”
Earlier this year, Ivy, along with some fellow Guides from her unit in Frome, went through a selection process to take part in the trip. The journey to India is part of the Guides’ Brave Space initiative, which enables Guides to develop their leadership skills through working on a community action project.
“One of our guide leaders, Kirstie, entered us for it,” she said. “There were a few of us from Frome who entered and we went on a sleepover weekend in the New Forest, and from there, some of us were selected.
“It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I do feel daunted to be going on my own, but there are lots of weekends where myself and all the girls who are going from across the South West can meet and get to know each other. We are all roughly the same age, but I will be one of the youngest.”
To go on the trip, Ivy must raise £3,600. She has so far held a cake sale with the Frome Lions and sweet tombolas, and is also planning a chocolate bingo evening with her unit.
“I am also planning on selling some of my artwork and macramé pieces to raise funds,” she said. “I will probably do most of my fundraising with them because they can help me organise it.”
Sangam is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘coming together’, and the centre in Pune serves as a place where Girlguides and Girl Scouts from around the world can share their experiences as well as their culture and traditions.
“This won’t be the first time I am going abroad without my parents,” said Ivy. “I went on a trip with my guiding unit to Iceland last October and absolutely loved it. The next trip we are doing is to Norway, and I had signed up for that and then found out I would be going to India too. I am really excited.”
To help Ivy raise funds for her trip to India, visit her fundraising page https://shorturl.at/eVT5Q
