Here is a photograph of the Knightwick Girl Guides on a trip to, Nässjö in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark, in August 1962.

Back Row: Mary Walker, Valerie Partridge, Mary Walker, Pamela Glazzard, Edith Walker, Geraldine Chaplin, Janet Cullen, Diane Bennett.

Front Row: Catherine Walker, Julia Ganderton, Jane Kenell, Sue Ganderton, Jean Heath, Joan Thornton, Elizabeth Hampton, Diane Ganderton, Josephine Holland.

Three girls not in this photo were Caroline Ganderton, Elizabeth Ganderton and Janet Sims as the Head teacher of the Worcester Grammar School would not give them the morning off and they had to travel later.

Translation from local Swedish Newspaper - Friday 3rd August 1962 - Of Knightwick Girl Guides trip to Nässjö

Leaders and hostesses of Girl Scouts group from Nässjö standing either side of Girl Guides visiting from England, in the city park display yesterday.
From the left Birgitta Eiemarker, Nässjö , Mary Walker, Josephine Holland and Geraldine Chaplin, Knightwick, England, and Ing-Marie Gustafsson, Nässjö.

Grand Nässjö program for English Girl Guides on trip to Sweden.

Foreign Tourists coming to Nässjö, have become increasingly common.

This applies not only to individual travelers, but also entire groups. On Thursday morning a group of 23 Girl Guides from England arrived in the city from their residence in Knightwick, Worcestershire, England and their week stay in Sweden will be spend mostly at Nässjö. The visit was arranged by two Girl Scouts from Nässjö, Birgitta Homeworker and Ing-Marie Gustafsson, (the latter operates at the tourist office in the city), who were in England last year on a visit with the Knightwick Girl Guides, which resulted in the girls wanting them to come to Sweden where they would be very welcome. The two attendants have had a great deal to do with the organising and preparation of applications for residency. And the program, that will produce a rich balance for their journey.

Students offered lunch.

The arrival in the city took place in the early morning, temporary accommodation at the YMCA was arranged, before later moving to Ambjögarten.

After resting in the morning the Scouts will host lunch for the guests in the city at the bar Rank. The city was represented then by the SF Chairman Algot Hagersen and Second Vice Chairman, Rud Carlsson. Mr Hagersen welcomed them all to the table and hoped they would like the Swedish diet choices. He testified that the city rejoiced over their visit and hoped that the young travellers stay, was going to be interesting and memorable for them. He gave a brief presentation of Nässjö and the importance of the railway centre in the city, and this was answered by the team leader, Miss Mary Walker, who stressed that they felt honoured by the attention that the city of Nässjö had shown, and they all gratefully appreciated the invitation to lunch and the choice of food that had been arranged for them.

Sightseeing in the city

The afternoon was devoted to sightseeing in the city park where both bird song and other attractions further interested the young guests. An evening program was not needed after the previous night's journey. It was then south after selecting routes to Holland, Germany and Denmark.

For the stay, the two hostesses in Nässjö made up an excursion program for the guests, one by train to Jönköping, where the city park and county museum sights appear. Then they move on to Gränna, with the beautiful view from Grännaberget. Then back to Nässjö where the guests will be taken by car, because a number of car owners in Nässjö promised to come and drive them home to Ådalsvägen.

Nässjö visit and journey home

On Saturday, the English Girl Guides continue on to Norrköping as guests to the Girl Scouts who live there, and also make a visit to Stockholm. From there the group return to Nässjö for a few days. Tuesday has been allocated for a walk to Lövhult and on Wednesday the guests will have freedom in the country at a summer cottage, where there is opportunity for swimming and recreation. Then the guest go to another YMCA in Sjöbo where the group will be taken to see the magical wilderness and nature of the Scout work, and also to make contact with a Swedish cub pack, that operate in Sjöbo.

English Girl Guides during a pleasant sightseeing trip to Nässjö city park and its wildlife on the shores of Ingsbergssjön.

Celebrating 60 years since The First Knightsford Bridge Girl Guide Company went to Sweden in 1962.
Sue Ganderton, Norma Barnet, Win O'Donovan, Joan Adams, Edith Bonham, Dianne Hargreaves,
Valerie Bown, Josephine Stenersen, Kate Leach, Jacky Draper, Geraldine Cooper,
Sitting: Mary Horton, and Janet Melillo.

 ©peh