My View: Guided back to relevance for today's young people

It is 100 years ago since the founding father of scouting Lord Baden Powell gave in to calls for a female version of the Scouts from revolutionary women who wanted equality with the men. Over the years Guiding has been at the forefront of campaigning and fund-raising.

The problem I had with the Girl Guides is that when I was a member (briefly) in the late 1970s it had lost this fighting, campaigning sprit. Instead it was bogged down by tradition, rules and ceremony and its real purpose seemed to have disappeared.

The uniform summed it up – old fashioned and starchy; the formal blue shirt and skirt were not very practical, and the hat – well, what can I say about the hat? It resembled an old-fashioned air stewardess's and I never managed to get it facing in quite the right direction. I had never been a Brownie and I remember feeling somewhat jealous of the cute dress, albeit brown.

I remember the formality of swearing our allegiance to God and Queen and then embarking on some sort of craft activity as we worked towards our "homemaking" badge.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm, I still managed to somehow be made Patrol Leader of the Swallow Patrol. And then there was the camp. At the age of 11, I and my fellow Guiders went for a week's washed out camping trip to the Lake District.

It was the first time I had been away from home and I was impossibly homesick. The rain made the experience all the more miserable and the lack of understanding and compassion from our Chief Guide, who heart-warmingly suggested gargling with TCP – it seemed to be her remedy for everything.

Then there was the bullying from older guides from different Guiding troops. What this all did for my character it is hard to say, but it definitely doesn't hold any fond memories for me.

However, Girlguiding of today does seem a much more inclusive, liberal and modern organisation for young women. Renamed Girlguiding UK, the uniform alone seems to show they have at last moved with the times and are offering young women something of relevance. Its aim is to put girls in the lead of everything, to making decisions and generally giving them skills and confidence. Something I cannot say was apparent in my experience.

Today's Girl Guides are as likely to be learning about space travel and web design while we were baking and helping old ladies cross the road. Their annual Big Gig features bands including Girls Aloud and Pixie Lott. It seems that the Girl Guides in the 21st century have recaptured something of the spirit of the original Girl Guides who were leading the way, rather than following and learning to be subservient. Long may it last.