Guide Gift Week
Encyclopedia
Guide Gift Week was a fundraising appeal by the Girl Guides
throughout the British Empire
in 1940. The United Kingdom
was at this time engaged in World War II
and much of the money raised was used to help those in the Armed Forces.
An announcement in April 1940 in the magazine The Guider appealed for a total of £20000. Two air ambulance
s, being "the first specially constructed ambulance aircraft to be used by the R.A.F.
in the war", cost a total of £15000 and the remaining £5000 was to be spent on a lifeboat
.
Money was to be raised directly from the members, each being asked to contribute half a day's salary or income. Younger members raised money by doing odd jobs, such as gardening and child care.
At the end of the designated week £46217 had been raised and money continued to be added to the fund.
Money raised in Guide Gift Week finally bought:
The British Film Institute
holds footage of the presentations of many of these items.
Girlguiding UK
Girlguiding UK is the national Guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. Guiding began in the UK in 1910 after Robert Baden-Powell asked his sister Agnes to start a group especially for girls that would be run along similar lines to Scouting for Boys. The Guide Association was a founder member of...
throughout the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in 1940. The United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was at this time engaged in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and much of the money raised was used to help those in the Armed Forces.
An announcement in April 1940 in the magazine The Guider appealed for a total of £20000. Two air ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
s, being "the first specially constructed ambulance aircraft to be used by the R.A.F.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in the war", cost a total of £15000 and the remaining £5000 was to be spent on a lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
.
Money was to be raised directly from the members, each being asked to contribute half a day's salary or income. Younger members raised money by doing odd jobs, such as gardening and child care.
At the end of the designated week £46217 had been raised and money continued to be added to the fund.
Money raised in Guide Gift Week finally bought:
- two air ambulances
- a lifeboat, later named the Guide of DunkirkGuide of DunkirkThe Guide of Dunkirk was a lifeboat whose construction was funded by the Girl Guides in 1940. She was self-righting and designed for launch from a beach. As one of the "Little Ships" of Dunkirk she was used in the evacuation of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk in World War II. Between 1941 and 1963 she...
- two mobile canteens to be run by the YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
- equipment for rest huts for the British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- furnishing and equipment for the Trefoil Hut in IcelandIcelandIceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
for the Merchant Navy - twenty motor ambulances for the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
The British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
holds footage of the presentations of many of these items.