Super stellar fun for scores of stargazing Brownies

Children from Littlehampton, Rustington, Angmering, East Preston and Arundel joined 850 Brownies from across Sussex in star quest adventure.

The girls, all aged seven to ten, travelled through three time zones in the hunt for missing stars during their galactic trek – inside the grounds of Chichester College’s Brinsbury campus, in Pulborough.

It was all to mark the centenary of Girlguiding.

The girls were recruited by ‘astronaut’ Annabel Gray – the Girl Guides Sussex West county commissioner.

They then took part in a range of challenges to earn stars.

Youngsters enjoyed activities, from drum lessons and silent disco to crafting toys, abseiling, creating aliens and tackling wacky science experiments.

Nine-year-old Rhiannon Weston-Smith, of the 2nd Angmering Brownies, was one of those abseiling during the day.

She said: “It was scary at the top because the platform is really high up but I’m so glad I did it – it’s a big achievement.”

Anne Macaulay, leader of 1st Wick Brownies, said: “It is lovely for the girls to see that they are a part of something huge, so seeing this many Brownies from all over West Sussex come together to celebrate The Big Brownie Birthday has been fantastic. The girls have had a brilliant day and will be talking about it for weeks, I’m sure.”

All the Brownies left with their rocket-shaped star quest badges to mark the day.