Charitable status and constitution of units and areas (branches) of The Guide Association
The Guide Association is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter, and has the working name
Girlguiding. It is a national organisation and has organised guiding activities throughout the United
Kingdom by establishing units (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and The Senior Section) and areas (Districts,
Divisions and Counties) as branches of the Association.
These branches are formally constituted in accordance with the provisions of Article 2(iii) of the Royal
Charter, and Bye-law 9(2)(c) of the Bye-laws made pursuant to Article 8 of the Royal Charter.
The units and areas of The Guide Association, although branches of the Association, have the status of
independent charities capable of registration in their own right. By virtue of the Charities (Exception of
Certain Charities for Boy Scouts and Girl Guides from Registration) Regulations, 1961 SI 1961 No. 1044,
generally only those units and areas which have the rateable use and occupation of property, or a
permanent endowment, are obliged to register; all others have the status of ‘excepted charities’.
Bye-law 9(2)(d) empowers the Committee of the Council of The Guide Association to make rules for the
regulation of the affairs of the units and areas for the time being governed by the Association, and the
pursuant to that Bye-law the constitutional structure and activities of units and areas of The Guide
Association are regulated by the provisions of The Guiding Manual (on the Association’s website) and the
Association’s handbooks.
In accordance with these:
1. The aim of guiding is to help girls and young women develop emotionally, mentally, physically
and spiritually so that they can make a positive contribution to their community and the wider
world (reflecting the primary charitable object laid down by the Royal Charter).
2. The trustees of each branch will be the adult holders of guiding appointments in that branch, in
accordance with the provisions for appointments and the termination of appointments laid down
by The Guiding Manual.
3. In the event of the disbandment of the branch, its assets are transferred to The Guide Association
(and by custom and practice redeployed for guiding purposes in the some locality).
4. Membership of Girlguiding is open to any girl or young woman aged between her 5
th
and 26
th
birthdays, and adult membership to any women or men aged 18 or over, regardless of faith, race,
culture, nationality or any other circumstance. Applications for membership are made to the
appropriate adult Leader or Commissioner, whose details are available from the Association’s
headquarters.
Roger Peters
Solicitor & Legal Consultant to The Guide Association
17–19 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 0PT
Telephone: 020 7834 6242
March 2010
