Derek JamesThe generation gap was bridged when guides and former guides from Norwich and across East Anglia gathered for a special reunion and celebration.Derek James

The generation gap was bridged when guides and former guides from Norwich and across East Anglia gathered for a special reunion and celebration.

My photographs of the former Earlham guides helped to make the gathering such a great success and tracked down some former members.

They came from Claire Everson, the District Commissioner for Girlguiding Earlham, who said: 'The day was incredibly successful and we all had a fabulous time.'

She was looking to trace former members of the Earlham District which incorporated the churches of St Thomas, Earlham Road. Bowthorpe Road Methodist, St Barnabas and St Batholomew.

During the war guide meetings moved from St Thomas's Church Hall to the teacher training centre on College Road when the church was bombed.

And due to an arson attack 0n the hall three years ago many of the archives were lost.

There are currently seven units in the Earlham District, two Rainbow, two Brownie, two Guide and a Senior Section and all are thriving.

More than 100 guests from all over Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex turned up for the centenary Thinking Day celebrations and reunion at St Thomas's.

'We were honoured to have the County Commissioner Helen Green and she brought the County Standard flag which was paraded with two union flags, two guide flags. 2 brownie flags and two rainbow bears.

After the Thinking Day service in the church the celebrations continued in the hall with guiders, guiders, and brownies attending….some meeting up for the first time in many years.

Queens Guides from St Thomas's over the years who attended included Angie Childerhouse, Emily Archer, Claire Everson, Vivienne Colman (Soman), Elizabeth Taylor (Spalding), Pat Chamberlin (Andrews) and Janice Broome (Pond).

Each unit which meets at the church made a special cushion to mark the guide centenary.