Following the news of a Lancashire Girlguiding activity centre set to be sold, the Lancashire Telegraph has looked through the archives and found some great photos.
Girlguiding, which is headquartered on Buckingham Palace Road in London, said five activity centres would be sold ‘because of the investment needed and the reduced number of members using them in the past decade’.
The centres will continue until December 31, with all 2023 bookings and events going ahead as planned.
Waddow Hall is located in idyllic Lancashire countryside and is said to be ‘a safe and secure’ haven for generations of young people who have used the venue for many years.
The announcement has been met with sadness from those who have memories of the hall.
One person said: "No way so many memories grass sledging and singing round the camp fire."
While another added: "Awwww some fabulous times there."
Lynn, who wanted to be known by her first name, said many families had grown up with the Guides and had fond memories of Waddow Hall.
The 74-year-old said: “It is truly heartbreaking and awful.
“The centre has been used by generations for decades and people have been involved with their local guides for many years.
“The worst thing is we don’t know what is going to happen.
“The centre is used for all sorts of activities from canoeing to orienteering. It has such a positive and wonderful effect on the young people who go there and have been there.
“I know a lot of people are quite shocked and upset at this. They put a lot of time and effort into the Guides and the centre has been a part of many people’s lives.”
A petition to save the hall, as well as the other four venues earmarked for closure, has now amassed more than 12,000 signatures.
Here is a gallery of images we have found in the archives of the Lancashire Telegraph of many fun times at the hall:
This first photo shows a group enjoying Wellies and Wristbands in 2017.
This photo shows a Japanese tea ceremony with three Guides from Japan who were attending the Ranger Guides International Camp at Waddow Hall.
They gave a demonstration to fellow campers from all over the UK, Greece, Norway and New Zealand
This one shows a blindfolded obstacle course which was one of the many challenges facing Brownies from across East Lancashire at an activities day in 1991.
The next photo shows Louise Crabtree, Hayley Lightbown, Carla Whitford, Ruth Yates, Clare Jackson and Sarah Parker at a Brownie activity day at Waddow Hall in 1990.
Here, visitors from Chernobyl are rafting across the River Ribble during a visit to the Rangers Guides international camp in 1991.
And these next two shots shows Cumbrian Brownies and Guides at the “Magic and Mayhem” activities day.
This photo is from a Guides International Camp at the hall in 1991.
And these next two shows are from the 'Welly and Wristbands' event in 2017.
A team from the 21st St Peters Accrington arrived with everything but the kitchen sink for an activity event.
And finally, Seven-year-old Yvonne Laskowski, from Oswaldtwistle, at a Brownie activity day at Waddow Hall in 1991.
Are you in any of these photos? Do you have any photos of your own? Share them with us and we will add them to this gallery. Simply email the photos over to abigail.beaney@nqnw.co.uk with a brief description of what is happening in the photo and when it was taken.
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