​Do you have some free time on Sunday, 17 October? Would you like to help the team enhance our County Centre site? If so, we’d love to see you there so please come along anytime between 10.30am-4pm. There are lots of jobs to choose from including:
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• painting benches, tables and fences
• flower borders that need attention
• weeding
• bird boxes to put up
• tidying the log pile

​Please wear suitable clothing and if you have any gardening tools/brushes that may be useful do bring them with you.

Refreshments will be provided but if you plan to stay all day you will need to bring lunch which you can enjoy in our lovely peaceful countryside location.

Please let us know if you are able to join us by emailing the County Office.

All help is greatly appreciated.

A wonderfully vibrant pop art style Herts Guide Centre badge is now available to purchase for £1.50 from the Guide Centre shop during your visit or by emailing the Booking Secretary.  This is a limited edition badge so be sure to get yours whilst stock lasts!

​The original badge is also now back in stock, £1 each.

There is a fantastic new Herts Guide Centre Night Time badge available to purchase for £1.00 from the Guide Centre shop during your visit or by emailing the County Office: countysec@girlguidinghertfordshire.org.uk.

There are also lots of other badges and sweets available in the shop so please be sure to take a look when you are here!

On 28th April the Hertfordshire Guide Centre Nature and Pond Area was officially opened. ​Although the weather was a little chilly and damp for the ribbon cutting, it did not dampen the spirits of those who came to support the work that has been carried out so far.  With a hot cup of tea in hand, visitors were able to take a stroll around the pond area whilst the children dipped their nets! 

Our natural pond and surrounding area has been completely transformed and enhanced by the addition of an accessible pathway, fenced level standing area and stepped dipping platform into the pond.  We are now busy enriching the planting and encouraging the wildlife to visit and already we are seeing wildflowers blooming and frogs swimming!  

Thank you to everyone who voted in store at Tesco for their ‘Bags of Help scheme’ which donated the money for the renovation carried out by Groundworks.  

Pond dipping is a great way of connecting with nature and offers a relaxing fun time for children (and adults!) to enjoy the outdoors.  For more information on pond dipping sessions, please click here

Come and join us at the Guide Centre, Cottered on Saturday 28 April from 2.30-4.00pm for the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the improved pond area.  Please RSVP to the County Office by Friday 13 April if you wish to attend.

Thanks to the generous funding from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme work is now well underway on the redevelopment of our pond area.

It was amazing to see the space appearing once our contractor Groundwork started the ground clearance, moving fallen trees and clearing scrub and brambles.

New screening has been erected, and now that the natural light can get into the site the hawthorn hedge which was already in situ should be able to flourish.

New gates are in place and the boundary has been moved to provide a better access. The newly laid paths allow for access around the whole site and will be safe for wheelchair users. A new beach area has been created on the side closest to the house.

The platform has been removed from the pond and the new one has been positioned to allow fuller use of the whole site.

We are looking forward to the next steps which include fencing around the pond, seating and a shelter.

Are you free on the 19 February or 1 June from 10am to help at our working parties?  We need as many volunteers as possible to help with gardening, tidying and cleaning at the Guide Centre in Cottered.