Why do guides make a promise

They currently vow to "to love my God, to serve my Queen and my country". The new oath drops the reference for the first time since Guides began in and will see them promise to "be true to myself and develop my beliefs". The revised wording from September will also see members of the ,strong organisation promise "to serve the Queen and my community".

The consultation earlier this year involved nearly 44, Girlguiding UK members and non-members. Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said: "Guiding has always been somewhere that all girls can develop their beliefs and moral framework, both inside and outside the context of a formal religion. We hope that our new promise will allow all girls - of all faiths and none - to understand and feel proud of their commitment.

The promise has been changed 11 times in the organisation's history, most recently in when the long-standing phrase duty to God" became "to love my God" and "serve the Queen" was supplemented with "and my country". The British Humanist Association BHA , which gave a response to the consultation , welcomed the change, noting it was the first version of the oath to "open guiding up fully to non-religious girls".

A Guide's duty is to be useful and to help others. A Guide is a friend to all and a sister to every other Guide. A Guide is courteous. A Guide is a friend to animals. A Guide obeys orders. A Guide smiles and sings under all difficulties. Who We Are. National Youth Council. Strategic Plan and Annual Report. What We Offer. Resources for Parents. Girl-Driven Research. Keeping Doors Open. The change has been lauded as a "hugely positive" development by secular groups.

About 44, people responded to a consultation on changing the oath's wording, according to Girlguiding UK. The group still believes girls need space to explore their beliefs and "moral framework", said Chief Guide Gill Slocombe. We hope that our new Promise will allow all girls — of all faiths and none — to understand and feel proud of their commitment. The oath now reads: "I promise that I will do my best: to be true to myself and develop my beliefs, to serve the Queen and my community, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide law.