At a time when much of our community is still feeling isolated and in a fog of uncertainty about the future, one group of volunteers is determined to support the families of Radstock and Midsomer Norton as it has done for decades.

Radstock Girl’s and Boys Brigades reopened its doors in September alongside the schools, following months of planning, risk assessments, and discussions with families, to make sure they could run their community groups for the fifty-plus children enrolled this term.

“We’ve had to make a lot of changes”, said Kerin Adam, Girl’s Brigade Leader and Families Worker at Radstock Baptist Church, where the sessions are now being hosted. “But if we can be here and make a difference to even one child, one family, then it’s completely worth it.”

The Bridgade groups previously met on a Wednesday and Thursday evening, but now have split into groups of fifteen children and two to three designated leaders across five sessions held over three evenings. Careful use of different rooms and one-way systems throughout the Baptist Church building, combined with ingenious use of some donated carpet squares, help the children to safely distance whilst the leaders ensure they still get a sense of normality.

Kate Rainbow, who has led Girl’s Brigade in Radstock for six years said: “Every child has their own permanent craft supplies in their personal bags – which stay at the church building – and every week, new items appear for them to use in that week’s craft activity. I think they find it quite fun!”

Games have always been an important part of the Brigade groups, and are tailored to the age groups, from the youngest at four, to the older Brigaders at fifteen and sixteen. With socially distanced hockey and mini Olympics (with individual small-scale equipment!), as well as firm favourites like ‘Wink Murder’, ‘Splat’, and ‘Beans’ which can all take place in a socially-distanced way, the girls and boys can all still play together.

“It’s a bit different, but we’re three weeks in and everyone seems to be really enjoying themselves”, Kerin told us. “On the first week, the excitement in the children – and some of the parents! – was such an encouragement to us.”

The first week, the children all decorated fairy doors or made them from scratch, whilst their second sessions were spent out hiding – or finding – the doors along the Radstock end of the local Greenway. Many of the children have taken their families on the same walk to search for their particular fairy door.

Girl’s and Boy’s Brigade would like to invite anyone in the community to follow the ‘GB/BB Fairy Trail’ this Autumn – and suggests they keep watch come Christmas this year, as plans are afoot for more safe-but-fun outdoor antics for the whole community.

To find out more about Girl’s or Boy’s Brigade, contact Kerin Adam via Radstock Baptist Church, or find the group on Facebook.

Charlie Peel