Hamilton Town House will light up blue tonight (Monday, February 22) to mark Girlguiding’s World Thinking Day.
Members of the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and their volunteer leaders will be celebrating the occasion, and this year’s theme of peacebuilding, by lighting candles at home for the local #LightAndUnite campaign.
Around 1400 members and an additional 400 members across South Lanarkshire will unite virtually to mark the occasion, with some displaying World Thinking Day posters on their windows at home.
South Lanarkshire Provost Ian McAllan has agreed to illuminate Hamilton’s Town House in the organisation’s colour of blue on Monday as well as other local landmarks which will celebrate the occasion including St Nicholas Church in Lanark.
World Thinking Day is the birthday of Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Scout and Guide movement, and his wife Olave, who served as World Chief Guide.
Girl Guides and Girl Scouts have been marking the special day since 1926. It remains a day for all Guides and Girl Scouts to think of each other and celebrate their sisters all around the world.
South Lanarkshire Girlguiding County Commissioner Sandra Stewart said: “Normally we are hosting units outdoors/indoors from all over our county, doing different activities relating to Thinking Day.
“This year is slightly different so the girls are interacting with units all over the UK either with virtual meetings or exchanging cards.
“In the past, one unit did Thinking Day on air where a Guider has given a talk from New Zealand to her Guides at their church service for thinking day.
“We are looking forward to next year hoping that we can then celebrate safely together and activities like that can be done again.”
World Thinking Day remains one of the most important dates in the guiding calendar, and every year the theme of the event encourages members to think about the big issues affecting them and their global community. Previous World Thinking Days have tackled the subjects of poverty, gender inequality, environmental sustainability and access to education.
The theme for World Thinking Day 2021 is Peacebuilding which is at the heart of Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting and is as vital and relevant today as for the last 100 years.
Go to the Girlguiding website for more information on getting involved.
