Quaker Brownie leader quits over British Army partnership
Rhiannon Grant, from Bournville Meeting, has resigned from her post as a Brownie leader after Girlguiding's decision to enter into a partnership with the British Army
A Quaker Woodbrooke tutor has decided to resign from her post as a Brownie leader, after Girlguiding refused to reconsider its controversial partnership with the British Army.
Rhiannon Grant, a member of Bournville Meeting, made the decision after a new deal was announced in which girls as young as four will complete courses designed by the army to develop their leadership skills. The armed forces will also host stalls at national Girlguiding events and run activity evenings.
Rhiannon Grant told the Friend: ‘I’ve been in touch with the chief guide, but there doesn’t seem to be an interest in reconsidering.’ According to Rhiannon Grant, the new partnership compromises her Quaker peace testimony, clashes with ‘the ban on Guides participating in war games’ and was introduced without consultation.
She said she knows several other people who are struggling with the decision, including a Quaker whose daughters are in Brownies. She said: ‘On the one hand, there is a need to protest this creeping acceptance of militarisation; on the other hand, there’s the loss to individuals and to communities when people leave a movement which is overall so positive.’
Other pacifist groups have criticised the deal. Quaker Oliver Robertson, development manager of the Christian organisation Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR), questioned the type of leadership the army promoted.
He said: ‘The armed forces model of leadership, involving strict hierarchies and unquestioning obedience, is entirely out of sync with most of the leadership situations people find themselves in.’
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) revealed recently that ‘a leaked memo’ at the Conservative party conference suggested that the government is advising MPs to highlight ‘positive values’ such as ‘loyalty, resilience, courage and teamwork’ when talking about the army (see ‘MPs advised on “positive military values’, 12 October).
