Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy Visits Girlguiding New Zealand’s National Event
GirlGuiding New Zealand patron and Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy visited the national Guiding event for Rangers in
Masterton on Sunday.
Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy pictured with ¬¬¬¬¬Madeline Arps and Jessica Hawken.
The visit came two days into the Flight 2018 event which saw Rangers from throughout New Zealand and overseas arrive in
Masterton to take part in the action-packed camp.
While on site at Rathkeale College, Dame Patsy chatted with Rangers as they took part in various activities including
STEM projects, raft-building and advocacy projects around consent.
“It was really great to meet Dame Patsy and be able to talk to her about our leadership opportunities and what we have
planned for our advocacy initiatives this year. She seemed pretty impressed.”, says Madeline Arps, one of GirlGuiding
New Zealand’s Ranger Advocacy Panel members.
Jessica Hawken, a member of GirlGuiding New Zealand’s Girl Advisory and Participation Group said, “I really enjoyed the
opportunity to show Dame Patsy Reddy around Flight2018. During the tour I explained my role on the Girl Participation
and Advisory Group, this is a group of Rangers who advise the Board on various issues including the strategic direction
of Guiding”.
Dame Patsy is well regarded for her stance on gender equality and was interested to learn about the Rangers’ advocacy
work on gender inequality in 2017.
After three days at Rathkeale College, the 305 girls and 102 volunteers (leaders) will pack up and head out in adventure
groups to the Wairarapa, Picton, Wellington, Taupo and Hawke’s Bay before ending their adventure on 12 January in
Wellington.
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