A new Girls’ Brigade group could soon be established in Andover, just weeks after the town’s historic company closed following almost a century of supporting generations of local girls and young women.
Girls’ Brigade England and Wales is calling for volunteers from across the Andover area to help launch a new group, as part of a project aimed particularly at communities with strong military connections.
The plans offer the possibility of a new chapter for Girls’ Brigade in the town following the closure of 1st Andover Girls’ Brigade, which met for the final time on Friday, 17 July.
The former company had been part of the Andover community since 1927, originally meeting at Andover Congregational Church in East Street before later being based at Bridge Street Methodist Church.
Its closure came following the retirement of company captain Marian Brewer, who had led the group for 23 years. Despite efforts to secure its future, a replacement leader could not be found.
Past and present members and leaders gathered for the final meeting, sharing memories and marking 99 years of friendship, activities and service to young people in the town.
Only last year, 1st Andover was continuing to encourage new members to join. A local school newsletter described the group as providing a safe and enjoyable environment where girls could learn new skills and develop friendships, while highlighting its mission to empower girls and young women.
Now Girls’ Brigade England and Wales hopes to rebuild a presence in Andover by recruiting a new generation of volunteers.
The charity is working alongside the Methodist Church on a wider initiative to establish and strengthen Girls’ Brigade groups in communities with significant military populations.
Andover has been identified as one of the areas of focus alongside Salisbury Plain, Amesbury, Tidworth and Bulford. The wider two-year project aims to increase participation among girls and young women from military families, recruit adult volunteers and develop support tailored to some of the particular challenges experienced by military families.
The proposed Andover group would be open to girls aged between four and 17, providing opportunities to make friends, take part in new activities, develop confidence and resilience, and explore the spiritual side of life.
Organisers hope it will provide a consistent and welcoming environment, which could be particularly valuable to young people experiencing periods of change.
Each new group will be connected with a local church and could welcome up to 30 children and young people.
However, volunteers will be essential if the plans are to become a reality, with Girls’ Brigade now looking for local people interested in helping lead the new group and shape how it develops from the outset.
Hazel Adamson, Military Families Worker at Girls’ Brigade England and Wales, said: “We want the new Andover group to become a consistent and welcoming place where girls can have fun, learn new things and be themselves.
“To make that possible, we need local people who care about supporting young people and would like to help us build something special.”
The organisation has a long history of supporting girls and young women. Girls’ Brigade traces its beginnings to 1893 and today focuses on providing opportunities for girls to develop confidence, skills, friendships and faith within supportive local communities.
Nationally, Girls’ Brigade groups are closely connected with local churches and their work within the wider community, with volunteers playing a central role in delivering activities and supporting young members.
For Andover, the attempt to establish a new group means the closure of the town’s 99-year-old company may not mark the end of the Girls’ Brigade story locally.
Instead, with the support of new volunteers, an organisation which has been part of life in the town for generations could soon begin its next chapter.
Anyone interested in volunteering or finding out more about establishing the new Andover group can visit the Girls’ Brigade new groups page.