The celebration was organised by their leaders Rosie Wade and Tracy Yon with help from all the Rainbows. We started the celebration with a few games including their favourite "Duck Duck Goose", more about this later, which set us all in the right frame of mind. The Rainbows showed their parents a photographic record of their activities for the year which Tracy  had taken, thank you Tracy, The girls also talked their parents through the Rainbows' programmes showing how they had completed badges.

We started the serious part of the celebration with our opening song. Rachel read the prayer. Elizabeth Hill explained about the world wide movement and celebration. Natalie, who started Rainbows on Ascension, told us about the start of the programme and of some of her first Rainbows who will be celebrating their own 21st birthdays this year. Rosie spoke about modern day Rainbows on Ascension Then the girls said their promise after which each girl was awarded her new red Rainbow sash and of course the badges that they have all worked so hard for, including the Celebrate badge and the Rainbow's 21st badge.

We all ate a delicious lunch which Rosie and Tracy had organised and to which every one contributed  untill we almost had too much.

After a relaxing lunch it was time for more games and fun. These games finished with all the parents joining in with a huge and very competitive family game of Duck Duck Goose. Now we know where some of the Rainbows get their competitive spirit from. Needless to say the Rainbows' parents ended up being out long before the girls were out. I suspect parents found it much less hard work being in the middle than tearing round a large circle of people trying not to get caught.

After the games a celebration cake was cut, and delicious cup of tea drunk and time for home.

I think some parents were more tired than the Rainbows after their day of exercise.

A very big thanks to Rosie and Tracy for organising a wonderful celebration of the Rainbow's 21st birthday.

Elizabeth Hill

Assistant Commissioner of Guides, Ascension

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