Weymouth Girls’ Brigade is celebrating 40 years of caring for girls and young women in the area.

The First Weymouth Girls’ Brigade Company was launched in 1979 following the amalgamation of the Girls’ Brigade of Ireland, the Girls’ Guildry of Scotland, and the Girls’ Life Brigade in 1965.

Pauline Hardisty, aged 72, started the Weymouth group when she moved to the

area.

She had been involved with Girls’ Brigade since she was nine-years-old and said there wasn’t a company at her new church at the time.

The group now meets at Weymouth Baptist Church on Mondays and runs four different groups- Explorers, aimed at girls aged four and a half to eight, Juniors, aimed at girls aged eight to 11, Seniors, aimed at girls aged 11 to 14 and Brigaders, aimed at girls aged 14 and over.

Mrs Hardisty says the group is just as important to local girls than when it was launched 40 years ago.

She said: “It provides stability for the girls, some of them have tricky home lives, but Girls Brigade can be a stable environment throughout their childhood.

“We do all sorts of activities with them. In the summer we go on a camping trip and we work towards the many Girls’ Brigade badges.”

The Weymouth group is in the process of recruiting new members.

There will be a recruitment day in the foyer of ASDA on

Saturday, January 12 from 10am to 4pm. This will be an opportunity to find out more information about the group.

To mark 40 years of the Weymouth group, a reunion meal is being organised for former members and staff, which will take place at Weymouth Baptist Church on

Saturday, January 26 at 6.45pm.

On Sunday, January 27 there will be a service which is open to members past and present which will take place at the church at 10am and will be followed by coffee and lunch.

Any former members of the First Weymouth Company interested in attending the reunion events are encouraged to get in touch with Pauline via her email address paulinehardisty@hotmail.com or call her on 07779 374823.