In 2010, Girlguiding UK celebrates one hundred years of fun and friendship for girls and young women. It has been a hundred years that touched the lives of so many women and what better way to celebrate than with a commemorative coin struck by the Royal Mint in honour of the occasion? A repeating pattern of the famous Trefoil logo makes an absolutely charming reverse for the new coin and is set off to perfection in 22 carat gold Proof quality.
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In the Beginning
Founded in 1910, when skirts were long, young ladies demure and the vote for women still a dream, the Girl Guides offered a taste of independence and adventure for thousands of girls. Then, as today, the girls themselves were at the very heart of Guiding, for the handful of girls who petitioned the first Scout Rally in 1909 were bold pioneers, demanding their own organisation. In 1910, they were to be rewarded, as Robert Baden-Powell founded the Girl Guides Association, to be led by his sister, Agnes Baden Powell.
Today, Girlguiding UK, as the Guide Association was renamed in 2002, is the largest primarily-female youth organisation in the UK, with over 550,000 members. True to its roots, Girlguiding UK remains relevant to girls from all backgrounds, abilities and nationalities, striving to enable girls and young women to develop their potential and make a difference to the world, with a spirit of opportunity, development and adventure.
The Centenary 50p Design
Designers Jonathan Evans and Donna Hainan of design agency Navy Blue created a reverse design worthy of such an important centenary celebration. Their simple yet elegant design features six ‘trefoil’ patterns, each representing a stage of the organisation from the Rainbow Promise Badge to the Trefoil Guild Promise Badge, surrounding the central Girlguiding UK logo.
The Trefoil has been used from the very foundation of both the Guiding and Scouting movements: the three leaves signify the three-fold Promise. The combined Trefoils symbolise the journey every Girl Guide undertakes and also portray the strength and diversity of the organisation, while their arrangement and interlinked form give a sense of protection, trust and unity.