Version: October 2013
Girlguiding Writing Style
House style guidelines for editors
Contents
1. Girlguiding style guidelines 2
Spelling 2
Grammar 3
Some usage points 4
Punctuation 9
Abbreviations, acronyms and contractions 11
Bullet lists 12
Numbers, dates and measurements 12
Titles 14
Email and websites 15
Acceptable terminologies 15
The UK 16
Things to avoid 17
2. About Girlguiding 21
General 21
People and roles 23
Promise, Laws and special sayings 24
Abbreviations and acronyms 25
Areas and centres 25
Awards 26
Residential licences 27
3. Girlguiding A to Z 28
4. Copyright guidelines 34
Requesting permission 35
Girlguiding copyright and trademarks 36
5. Clear print guidelines 37
Typeface 37
Design and layout 38
6. Digital communication guidelines 40
Writing for the web 40
Web search engines, SEO and keywords 43
Writing for digital newsletters 43
Social media 45
7. guiding magazine guidelines 46
8. Print/download resources guidelines 47
Producing large-print and text-only resources 47
Producing Braille resources 48
Publication imprints 48
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Girlguiding Writing Guidelines
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1. Girlguiding style guidelines
Good writing is not a luxury; it is an obligation.
BBC News Style Guide
When writing for Girlguiding, in any media, the use of good English is a basic requirement. This means
accurate spelling, correct grammar and clear and concise use of language. Your writing should be as
accessible as possible to readers with, according to the BBC, ‘simple thoughts simply expressed’.
Spelling
Girlguiding writing follows the current Concise Oxford English Dictionary for spelling
(http://oxforddictionaries.com/).
Capitalisation

Use initial capitals for all proper names, people’s titles, countries, geographical areas (South
Coast, West Country, South East Asia, North Wales) and for trademark names (Lego, Post-it).

Jobs are lower case (doctor, nurse, firefighter, president) but job titles are upper case (Chief
Executive Julie Bentley).

Use capitals for abbreviations such as TV, PVC and AIDS. But pdf and jpeg are lower case.

If a company, organisation, establishment or other has ‘The’ as part of its name, for example ‘The
Trefoil Guild’, ‘The Outdoor Show’, it is not always necessary to upper case the article.
 Look out for the Girlguiding stall at The Outdoor Show.
 Look out for the Girlguiding stall at the Outdoor Show
Notable exceptions are royal titles and The Guide Association.
The Queen, The Countess of Wessex, The Countess
but ‘I saw the Queen/Countess’
Commonly misspelled words
These are the correct spellings for frequently used terms. Please note use of hyphens and
capitalisation.
acknowledgement
Adviser
AIDS
all right not alright
any more not anymore
barbecue
bye-law
campfire
campsite
childcare
coordinate
cooperate
email
focused/focuses/focusing
fundraise/fundraiser/fundraising
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Gandhi not Ghandi
government
internet (also net or web)
judgement
learned not learnt
liaise
lifespan
minuscule not miniscule
no one not no-one
OK or okay not ok
ongoing
online
on to not onto
rock climbing
straight away (two words)
T-shirt not tee-shirt
url
website
well-being
while not whilst
worldwide
yoghurt not yogurt
zigzag
Exceptions to the Oxford English Dictionary
• Use ‘-ise’ endings where ‘-ize’ may be an alternative, for example ‘utilise’, ‘apologise’, ‘realise’.
• Spell ‘fundraising’ without hyphen.
-ise and -ice
When choosing between ‘-ice’ or ‘-ise’ endings remember, ‘-ice’ if it is a noun, and ‘-ise’ when it is a
verb.
I need to practise the piano.
I need to do my piano practice.
Grammar
Sentence order
The position of a word or phrase in a sentence can drastically alter its meaning.
Nearly a third of children in care do not sit GCSE or vocational exams in the UK
implies they go abroad to do this, which is not intended. What is meant is
Nearly a third of children in care in the UK do not sit GCSE or vocational exams.
Singular or plural?

Collective nouns (family, committee, team) take a singular verb or pronoun when meaning a single
unit but plural verb or pronoun when meaning a collection of individuals.
The unit is celebrating its 50th birthday.
The unit could hardly wait to enjoy their 50th-birthday cake.

Words like ‘agenda’, ‘bacteria’, ‘criteria’, ‘data’ and ‘media’ are not singular but actually plural
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forms of ‘agendum’, ‘bacterium’, ‘criterion’, ‘datum’ and ‘medium’. In modern usage however it
is increasingly common to treat them as either singular or plural. So, ‘bacteria behave’ (plural)
and ‘bacteria behaves’ (singular) are both fine but be consistent, use one or the other and not
both in the same body of text.

Girlguiding is always singular.
Girlguiding is the largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women in the
UK.

Avoid mixing singular and plural to create awkward/ambiguous sentences.
An end-of-year exam for each subject and for all students who are likely to be taking
these subjects has been devised by the head teacher.
It is unclear just how many exams the head teacher has in store for the poor students.
Dangling participle
An ‘unattached’, ‘misrelated’ or ‘dangling’ participle occurs when a phrase at the beginning of a
sentence tries naturally to cling on to the first noun or pronoun that comes along, but which common
sense tells us it is not related to. This can turn your sentence into nonsense.
Arriving at the station, the sun came out.
Dear Julie,
As CEO, I am writing to you…
It is not the sun arriving at the station, nor the CEO drafting the letter.
Some usage points
a or an before hUse ‘a’ rather than ‘an’ before words beginning with ‘h’, such as ‘historic’, ‘hotel’ and ‘hospital’
where the ‘h’ is pronounced in modern usage (it was common to use ‘an’ during the 18th and 19th
centuries when the initial ‘h’ was silent). Use ‘an’ where the ‘h’ is silent, so ‘an hour’, ‘an honour’.
after
Using ‘because’ or ‘when’ instead of ‘after’ can help make your meaning clearer.
 The pupils were suspended after they cheated in an exam.
 The pupils were suspended because they cheated in an exam.
 Staff had to evacuate the building after the fire alarm went off.
 Staff had to evacuate the building when the fire alarm went off.
altogether and all together
‘Altogether’ means ‘in total’. ‘All together’ means ‘all in one place’ or ‘all at once’.
The five Brownies came in all together.
Altogether there were five Brownies that came in.
and or but
It is fine to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as ‘and’ or ‘but’.
And don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But use them sparingly.
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antisocial, unsocial and unsociable
‘Antisocial’ means contrary to the customs of society, ‘unsocial’ means outside of normal working
hours and ‘unsociable’ means not enjoying the company of others.
anyone and any one
‘Any one’ is not the same as ‘anyone’, and means any single person (emphasis on ‘one’).
Any one of you here tonight could be the murderer.
The murderer could be anyone here tonight.
biannual and biennial
‘Biannual’ means twice a year. ‘Biennial’ means every two years.
bimonthly
This means both ‘twice a month’ and ‘every two months’. Avoid using and if necessary say ‘twicemonthly’ or ‘two-monthly’ instead.
can and may
The use of ‘can’ instead of ‘may’ to request or express permission is acceptable, although ‘may’ is
generally regarded as a more polite form and a better choice in more formal contexts.
can not and cannot
‘Cannot’ is a contraction of ‘can not’, but the two are not always interchangeable. Use the two-word
version if ‘not’ is part of a set phrase.
David cannot sing.
David can not only sing – he can also play the piano.
compliment and complement
Do not confuse ‘compliment’ and ‘complement’. ‘Compliment’ means ‘politely congratulate or praise’
while ‘complement’ means ‘add to in a way that enhances, improves or completes’. Also, a
complimentary copy is free.
counsellor and councillor
A ‘counsellor’ is someone who gives advice, while a ‘councillor’ is a member of a city, county or other
council.
dice and die
‘Dice’ is the plural form of ‘die’, although ‘dice’ is now commonly used as both singular and plural.
different from/to/than
There is little difference between ‘different from’, ‘different to’ and ‘different than’, although
‘different from’ is the most traditional and ‘different than’ is mainly used in American English.
dilemma
In conversation ‘dilemma’ is regularly used as an alternative to ‘a difficult situation’ or ‘a problem’,
but its precise meaning is a hard choice between two or more (usually unpleasant) alternatives.
disinterested and uninterested
The two are not synonymous: ‘disinterested’ means ‘impartial’, and ‘uninterested’ means ‘not
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interested’.
due to
This means ‘caused by’, not ‘because of’.
 The train was late due to leaves on the track.
 The train’s late arrival was due to leaves on the track.
 The train was late because of leaves on the track.
If you mean ‘because of’ and for some reason are reluctant to say it, use ‘owing to’.
The train was late owing to leaves on the line.
effectively and in effect
‘Effectively’ means ‘with a satisfactory outcome’ while ‘in effect’ means ‘in practice’.
The website’s security weaknesses were effectively resolved.
The website’s popularity has in effect increased the risk of attack from hackers.
either and or
Place ‘either’ and ‘or’ correctly so that the sentence structures following each word balance and
mirror each other.
 I’m going to buy her either a new Wii or a new PS3.
 I’m either going to buy her a new Wii or a PS3.
-ess/-ienne
Feminine forms are outdated so avoid in favour of the neutral form: ‘poet’ not ‘poetess’, ‘actor’ not
‘actress’, ‘author’ not ‘authoress’, ‘comedian’ not ‘comedienne’ and so on. If you need to specify
gender use the adjectives ‘male’ or ‘female’ before the noun.
everyday and every day
‘Everyday’ means ‘daily’ or ‘commonplace’. ‘Every day’ means ‘each day’.
Child labour is still an everyday occurrence in some parts of the world.
Some sweatshops force children to work every day.
Fairtrade and fair trade
‘Fairtrade’ refers to the Fairtrade mark, a certification system run by the Fairtrade Foundation to
identify fairly traded goods; ‘fair trade’ is a general reference to the movement as a whole of paying
fair prices to producers in developing countries. So use Fairtrade only when referring to the Fairtrade
Foundation and its mark.
fewer and less
Use ‘fewer’ with words denoting people or countable things, and ‘less’ with mass nouns denoting
things which cannot be counted. Use ‘less’ as well with expressions of measurement or time.
There are fewer farmers in Britain now compared to 50 years ago.
We have less than an hour to catch our flight.
gender and sex
Both terms mean the state of being male or female, but ‘sex’ tends to refer to biological differences
and ‘gender’ to cultural or social ones.
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The parents chose not to find out their baby’s sex until birth.
New statistics reveal your gender still affects your chances of becoming a manager.
however
It should always be one word, unless you wish to add emphasis to ‘ever’.
However you look at it, girls had less freedom in 1910.
How ever did the Guides in 1910 get permission to run around?
A comma placed after ‘however’ helps to create a dramatic pause.
In 1910 girls were not allowed to run. However, it was positively encouraged at Guides!
illegal and unlawful
‘Illegal’ is something that is against the law while ‘unlawful’ is something that breaks the rules.
It is illegal to use your mobile phone while driving.
In tennis, it is unlawful to touch the net during play.
justified
Be careful how you use the term as it means that whatever was ‘justified’ is right or reasonable.
 The Prime Minister justified abolishing the NHS by saying everyone could afford private healthcare.
 The Prime Minister tried to justify abolishing the NHS by saying everyone could afford private
healthcare.
 The Prime Minister defended abolishing the NHS by saying everyone could afford private healthcare.
lose and loose
Do not confuse ‘lose’ and ‘loose’. ‘Lose’ is a verb meaning ‘no longer have’ while ‘loose’ is usually an
adjective meaning ‘not firmly fixed in place or tied up’.
man/men
Where possible avoid outdated ‘man’ endings and prefixes, so police officer not policeman, firefighter
not fireman, postal worker not postman, chair or chairperson not chairman, business people not
businessmen, humankind not mankind, and so on.
neither and nor
See ‘either and or’ above.
one in six, one in ten
It makes more logical and grammatical sense to treat proportions as plural. Grammatically we are
referring to the noun phrase ‘one in six’, not the noun ‘one’. Logically the phrase represents a
portion, just as ‘two in seven’ or ‘three in ten’ would. You would not say ‘Only 1 per cent of girls is
able to access the internet’ just because there is a ‘one’ in there.
only
In speech most people will tend to understand a sentence containing ‘only’ no matter where it is
placed. In writing, however, it is better to be precise.
We can only offer so many activities without the support of parents.
In this version it is ‘offer’ that ‘only’ applies to, rendering the sentence slightly ambiguous.
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We can offer only so many activities without the support of parents.
In this version it is ‘so many activities’ that ‘only’ applies to, which makes the sentence a lot clearer,
meaning without more parental help the number of activities on offer will be limited.
To avoid ambiguities place the adverb ‘only’ next to the word or phrase whose meaning it restricts.
people and persons
Use ‘people’ for ordinary and informal contexts and ‘persons’ for official or formal contexts.
a group of people
unauthorised persons may not enter
responsible
Only people can be held responsible for things.
 The tsunami was responsible for killing thousands of people.
 The tsunami caused the deaths of thousands of people.
 Hitler was responsible for the deaths of millions.
she, he, they
Do not use ‘he’ to refer to a person of either sex – ‘she’ should be standard for all Girlguiding
communication relating to our members. For more general communication, where ‘he or she’ can
appear clumsy, it is acceptable to use the plural pronoun ‘they’ instead.
should have NOT should of
‘Should of’ is incorrect English. The mistake stems from the misapprehension that ‘should’ve’, in
speech, sounds like, and should thus be spelled as, ‘should of’. This applies equally to ‘would have’
and ‘could have’.
that and which
It is acceptable to use either ‘that’ or ‘which’ to introduce a clause that defines or identifies
something. If in doubt, use ‘that’.
an activity that/which aims to show Brownies…
Use ‘which’ when introducing clauses giving additional information:
the activity, which will take up a whole meeting, aims to show Brownies…
there, their and they’re
‘Their’ means ‘belonging to them’ and ‘there’ means ‘in, at or to that place’. ‘They’re’ is a
contraction of ‘they are’.
un- and nonBoth prefixes mean ‘not’, but are different in emphasis and therefore not interchangeable; ‘un-’
tends to be stronger/negative and suggests a particular bias, while ‘non-’ is considered more neutral.
When guiding first began it was considered unnatural for girls to run around.
Plastic is a non-natural material that can harm wildlife.
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woman/women
These are nouns, if you need an adjective use ‘female’.
 a woman MP
 a female MP
your and you’re
‘Your’ is a possessive meaning ‘belonging to you’ while ‘you’re’ is a contraction of ‘you are’.
Punctuation
Spacing
Use a single space after a full stop, not double.
Apostrophes
The apostrophe is used principally to indicate a possessive.
Tom’s car, Tessa’s house, the baby’s cot, the dog’s dinner
It is also used to mark contractions such as I’ll, they’ve, couldn’t, she’s.

Never use an apostrophe in the pronouns hers, its, ours, yours and theirs.

Be careful to distinguish its from it’s. Its is a possessive meaning ‘belonging to it’ while it’s is a
contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’.

Beware also of confusing whose and who’s. Whose is a possessive while who’s is a contraction of
‘who is’ or ‘who has’.

Your and you’re also mean different things, the first is something belonging to you, while the
second is a contraction of ‘you are’.

Do not use apostrophes after numbers, for example the over 65’s and the 1970’s are wrong.
Hyphens and en dashes
Hyphens
 Use hyphens for adjectival compounds that precede the noun.
this up-to-date record but this record is up to date
the well-known writer but the writer is well known
However, do not hyphenate adjectival compounds beginning with adverbs ending in
‘-ly’, for example ‘newly built house’, ‘frequently asked questions’, ‘nationally recognised
qualification’.

For use of hyphens with the prefix ‘re-’, leave unhyphenated unless the word to which ‘re-’ is
attached begins with ‘e’ or ‘u’ (not pronounced as ‘yu’), for example ‘re-elect’ and ‘re-urge’, ‘reundo’, but ‘reuse’. Also, use a hyphen where the word formed with the prefix would be identical
to an already existing word, for example ‘re-cover’ (meaning ‘cover again’) and ‘recover’
(meaning ‘get better in health’ or ‘regain possession’).

For use of hyphens with combining forms, such as ‘self-esteem’, follow the Oxford English
Dictionary (http://oxforddictionaries.com/)
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
Use hyphens in age ranges as follows:
eight years old
an eight-year-old [girl]
a 14-year-old [girl]
eight-year-olds
14-year-olds
10- to 11-year-olds
En dash (en rule)
An en dash is generally double the length of a hyphen. To key an en dash on a PC press Ctrl+Num -. To
key it on a Mac press Alt+-. Be aware that in some fonts, such as Trebuchet, the hyphen and the en
rule appear similar on screen, but not in print.

Use an en dash as a parenthetical dash.
We’re going to Foxlease - which is in the New Forest - for our camping trip.

An en dash can also give emphasis at the end of a sentence.
We all know what we like – chocolate!

Use a closed-up en rule for number ranges only in tables, lists, spreadsheets and charts, and ‘to’
within text.
20–24 January or 20 to 24 January
2001–2003 or 2001 to 2003

For dates which span more than one month there is a space either side of the en rule.
27 September – 9 October or 27 September to 9 October
Quotation marks

Use single quotation marks. For quotes within quotes use double quotation marks.
‘There was a bloke selling purses; he wanted 50p for each one. I said, “I want 35, how much can you give
them to me for?” We got them for 25p each.’

When following quotations on to the next paragraph, there is no closing quotation mark at the end
of the first paragraph. An opening quotation mark starts the first sentence of the next paragraph.
Semicolon
Generally the two parts of a sentence divided by a semicolon should balance or run parallel to each
other and not lead from one to the other:
Brownies love learning; Leaders love teaching.
You can also use the semicolon as a stronger division in a sentence that already contains commas:
What did you order for breakfast? Was it the American pancakes, oozing with melted butter and dripping
warm maple syrup down its sides; or the hot, spicy huevos rancheros, bursting with melted cheese, salsa,
refried beans and other delights; or a classic fry-up, the champion of breakfasts?
If you are in doubt whether to use a comma or a full stop then you probably need a semicolon.
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Colon
If a semicolon acts to link two balanced statements, a colon acts to lead the first statement to the
second.
The new Brownie was made to instantly feel part of the unit: the girls sang her a welcome song and the adult
volunteers greeted her in turn.
Commas
There is no need for the comma before the final ‘and’ (also known as the Oxford or serial comma) in
straightforward lists.
 We saw elephants, giraffes and zebras.
 We saw elephants, giraffes, and zebras.
But it can help the reader, for example in compound clauses.
Brownies can take part in abseiling, archery, water sports such as canoeing and kayaking, and climbing.
And it is sometimes essential.
The Senior Section member dedicated her Queen’s Guide Award to her parents, the Chief Guide and HRH
The Countess of Wessex.
Without the serial comma the sentence suggests that the Chief Guide and The Countess are her
parents.
The Senior Section member dedicated her Queen’s Guide Award to her parents, the Chief Guide, and HRH
The Countess of Wessex.
With the comma the intended meaning is clearer. Changing the sentence order can also help.
The Senior Section member dedicated her Queen’s Guide Award to the Chief Guide, HRH The Countess
of Wessex and her parents.
A comma can also add a useful breathing space for the reader in a long sentence.
When participants looked back at all the great things they’d achieved and brilliant friendships they’d made
at the World Forum for Young Women, they knew what a unique experience they’d had which only
guiding could have made possible.
Abbreviations, acronyms and contractions

Spell out terms on first usage. Just because you know what WAGGGS and NGO mean does not mean
your readers will.
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) has claimed that…

Make them easily identifiable and use consistently throughout text.

Do not use full points.
CHQ, LaSER
Mrs, Mr, Ms, Dr, Rev
cm, kg, ml
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Mrs JA Jones
ext, Tel

Do not use full points with ‘etc’, ‘eg’ and ‘ie’.

Plurals, such as NVQs, MAs, QCs, TACs, PRAs, have no apostrophes.

Use ‘page 44’ and ‘pages 44–46’ rather than ‘p44’ and ‘pp44–46’.

A stamped addressed envelope is ‘an sae’, not ‘a sae’.

Do not use contractions such as ‘hasn’t’, ‘aren’t’, ‘I’ll’ or ‘she’d’ in Rainbow or Brownie resources,
or in formal adult resources such as The Guiding Handbook.

Avoid using the ampersand (&) instead of ‘and’ unless you are short on space.

Days and months in listings (but not in running text) should be expressed as:
Mon, Tue, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec

pdf and jpeg are lower case
Bullet lists
If the text in each of the bullet points is long, treat each list entry as a complete sentence or
paragraph. Begin with a capital letter and end with a full point. The lead-in sentence should end in a
full stop.
The following rules must be observed at all times.
 Caterers should leave the catering area clean and dispose of all rubbish according to site rules.
 First aid kits should be available and checked regularly.
Single words, short phrases and sentence fragments do not usually take an initial capital, and have a
full point only at the end of the last entry. The lead-in sentence should end in a colon.
The first aid kit should contain:
• protective gloves
• adhesive dressings
• triangular bandages.
Numbers, dates and measurements
Dates

Dates are written thus: 20 October 2010 or 20/10/10 (in tables only).

Date ranges in tables, charts, lists and spreadsheets use an en rule, spaced for ranges which cover
more than one month.
20–23 January
23 January – 3 February
Date ranges in main body of text use ‘to’ in between.
The festival will take place from 20 to 23 January.
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
Decades are referred to as either ‘the 1970s’ or ‘the seventies’ – not ‘the ’70s’ and absolutely
never ‘the 1970’s’!

Centuries are written thus: the fifth century, the 12th century.

AD goes before the date; BC follows it.
Measurements

Long distance is referred to in miles (to convert kilometres to miles multiply by 0.62). All other
measurements should be metric.

There is no space between a number and its measurement: 45cm, 78kg, 80p. Note: litre
measurements should be spelled out, not abbreviated – 8 litres not 8l.

Time is written thus: 7pm (not 7.00pm), 3.30am. Use ‘to’ or a closed en dash for time ranges: 7–
7.30pm, 7 to 7.30pm.

Amounts of money are written thus: £1 (not £1.00 except in tables), £1.50, 89p. Amounts in
millions are written thus: £1 million.

Weight is referred to in kilos (to convert pounds to kilos, multiply by .45).

Use ‘Celsius’ rather than ‘centigrade’ in giving temperatures.
Numbers

Write out numbers one to ten as words; 11 and over are numerals except at the beginning of a
sentence.
Seventy Guides attended the camp, accompanied by 15 Leaders.
Exceptions apply to percentages, measurements and equipment/ingredient lists.
Cut off a 5cm length of string.
Add 2tsp water to the mixture.
1 per cent.
You will need:
• 10 cotton reels
• 5 sheets of tissue paper.
Another exception is in order to avoid mixing numerals and words in number ranges.
 There were between nine and twelve Guides.
 There were between 9 and 12 Guides.
 There were between nine and 12 Guides.
Ordinals follow the same style: write out first to tenth and use numerals for 11th upwards.
Exceptions to this rule are unit titles, for example the 4th St Albans Brownie Unit. Note also that
1st Response is the title of a publication and training course, and should be written thus.
Do not use superscript.
11th not 11th
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
Place commas in numbers four or more digits long: 1,300; 2,596,430.

Use ‘per cent’ not % except in tables.

Phone numbers should be broken after the area code.
020 7834 6242 not 0207 834 6242
01230 282638
0161 941 2237
028 9042 6025 not 0289 042 6025 (Northern Ireland)
UK mobile numbers should be broken down 5–6: 07769 708527.

Be careful not to confuse percentages and percentage points – always check if the sums add up.
The latest Girls’ Attitudes Survey shows a 10 per cent rise in the number of girls saying they felt bullied at
school, up from 10 per cent in 2010 to 20 per cent in 2011.
On closer inspection this is not actually a 10 per cent increase, but a 100 per cent increase, or a
doubling if you prefer. It is, however, an increase of ten percentage points, which is a different
thing. If you find percentages intimidating, use real values instead where possible.
Titles

Book and publication titles, newspapers, albums, films, TV programmes and ships (HMS Victory)
are all italicised. Song titles are in roman with inverted commas. All the main words in a title
should have initial upper case letters irrespective of the style on the actual publication (with the
exception of guiding magazine): Brownie Adventure File 3. If shortening a title in subsequent
mentions keep the abbreviation italicised: the Manual for The Guiding Manual, A to Z for A to Z of
Activities and so on.

Use inverted commas, not italics, for article titles.
There was a great response to last month’s article ‘Take on the Challenge’.
• For cross-references, use this style:
For more details, see Including All [where it is the name of a publication]
For more details, see ‘Festivals’, above [where it is a section in the same publication]
• Capitalise specific people’s titles, but not job titles in general.
This is Sue, our Human Resources Manager.
We need another administrative assistant.
Girlguiding publications and badges

Italicise titles. All the main words in a title should have initial upper case letters, irrespective of
the style in the publication itself.
Activate
Contemplate
Girls Shout Out!
The Guiding Handbook
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Go For It! or GFI! – generic use. For a specific Go For It! use italics, for example Go For It!
Glamorama!
Training Opportunities: Camp and Holiday Scheme for the publication, but not italicised when
referring to the scheme.

External publications – follow their spelling.

Badge is lower case, with an initial upper case letter on the first word of the badge name only, for
example ‘Disability awareness badge’.
Email and websites

Email addresses are all in lower case: [email protected].

Omit ‘http://’ from a website address unless it does not contain ‘www’ in the beginning.
www.girlguiding.org.uk
http://news.bbc.co.uk
When giving website addresses in text, use paths (or breadcrumbs) rather than long urls.
For more information, see www.girlguiding.org.uk > Members’ area > What’s happening?.

When using hyperlinks in online documents, add a breadcrumb with a hyperlink the first time it
appears. No need to repeat breadcrumbs for subsequent appearances of the hyperlink.
Acceptable terminologies
Your writing should reflect and enforce the integrity and reputation of Girlguiding. Use positive
language and avoid outdated and/or offensive terms that stereotype and stigmatise, or define people
and groups by their disability, condition/diagnosis, race or sexuality.
 a person who has/a person with
 suffering from/crippled/afflicted by/a victim of
 disabled people/people with disabilities
 the disabled/handicapped
 a baby with Down’s syndrome
 a Down’s syndrome baby
 a person with hearing and/or speech loss, deaf/hearing and speech-impaired
 deaf and/or dumb, deaf mute
 a person with epilepsy
 an epileptic
 a person who has cerebral palsy
 spastic
 a person with a learning disability
 mentally handicapped/subnormal/slow
 a person who is homeless
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 a homeless/the homeless
 mentally ill people/people with mental health problems
 the mentally ill
 elderly or older people/pensioners
 the elderly, OAPs, old age pensioners
 a wheelchair user
 confined to a wheelchair/wheelchair bound
 black/homosexual/gay/bisexual/heterosexual people (ie only as adjectives)
 blacks/homosexuals/gays/bisexuals/heterosexuals (ie never as nouns, but lesbian is okay as it has
always been a noun)
 woman and women as adjectives, or female as a noun
 children of immigrants
 second-generation immigrants
 ethnic minority
 ethnics (ethnic does not mean ‘from a minority group’ – everyone has ethnicity)
 developing countries
 the third world
given name, first name or forename
 Christian name
NOTE ‘Brainstorm’ is perfectly acceptable terminology to describe a meeting in which people are
suggesting ideas. However, it would be considered offensive if used to describe an epileptic seizure or
the electrical activity in the brain during a seizure.
The UK
Here are some helpful guidelines about how to refer to all things UK-related.

United Kingdom (officially the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – England,
Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland. The Isle of Man and Channel Islands are Crown dependencies
and thus not part of the UK.

Great Britain – England, Scotland and Wales (not Northern Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of
Man).

The British Isles – Great Britain, Ireland (Ulster and Eire), Orkney and Shetland Islands, Isle of
Man, Hebrides, Isle of Wight, Channel Islands and so on. Only use in geographical context, never
political.

Never say ‘this country’, ‘this nation’, ‘across the country/nation’ if you mean the UK. To readers
outside England this comes across as arrogance. Say instead ‘the UK’, UK-wide’ or even ‘Britain’,
widely accepted as the official short form for the UK, but not ‘Great Britain’, unless you mean to
not include Northern Ireland.

Beware of saying ‘the capital’ without specifying which one. For the record London is the capital
of England and the UK, Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, Cardiff is the capital of Wales, and
Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.
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
National anthem – as for above, don’t assume people will know which one. ‘God Save The Queen’
is the official anthem of the UK. ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ (Land of My Fathers) is the official anthem
of Wales. There is no official anthem of Scotland although ‘Flower of Scotland’ and ‘Scotland the
Brave’ are the most notable de facto anthems.

Be careful with ‘national’ organisations and governing bodies. Some represent all of the UK, others
don’t. The British Canoe Union for example represents all of the UK, but the British
Mountaineering Council only England and Wales. The RSPCA operates in England and Wales only –
for Scotland you would need to contact the Scottish SPCA and for Northern Ireland the Ulster
SPCA.

Do not use ‘anglo’ when you mean British or UK. Do not use British when you mean ‘English’.

Never use ‘the Principality’ to mean Wales.

Girlguiding Ulster; Northern Ireland in all other references.

Girlguiding Cymru (pronounced ‘coom-ree’) (Wales); Wales in all other references.

Lastly, remember that school terms such as half-term, A-levels and sixth form do not apply in
Scotland, which has a different education system from the rest of the UK.
Things to avoid
Good writing is about keeping it simple and your reader interested, so avoid:
 jargon, especially guiding jargon
 hyperbole and superlatives (major, massive, mega, super, exceptional, exclusive, unique,
record, biggest, greatest) unless you can justify them
 repetition
 generalities (it is claimed that, it goes without saying)
 clichés.
Below are some specific examples from the BBC News Style Guide of overused or unnecessary words,
sayings and phrases. If you find yourself reaching for any of them, ask yourself if your writing really
needs it.
Clichés
a question mark hangs over
leaves much to be desired
leave no stone unturned
grind to a halt
the bottom line
blessing in disguise
calm before the storm
wealth of experience
in the pipeline
shrouded in mystery
ripe old age
beginning of the end
moment of truth
point blank range
moving the goalposts
level playing field
spread like wildfire
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in the final analysis
last-ditch effort
vanished into thin air
emotions ran high
riot of colour
glaring omission
weighty matter
bitter end
sweeping changes
marked improvement
foregone conclusion
wreak havoc
bated breath
true colours
daylight robbery
brutal reminder
absolute rubbish
cherished belief
Vogue words
leading/cutting edge, scenario, interface, parameter, underpin, raft, meaningful, exponential,
protagonist, take on board, pivotal, infrastructure, traumatic, kickstart, asymmetrical, dichotomy,
ceiling, escalation
Simple alternatives
at this moment in time
by virtue of the fact that
in the absence of
leaves much to be desired
was of the opinion that
put in an appearance
on account of the fact that
in conjunction with
a large proportion of
in the event that
with the exception of
manufacture
assistance
numerous
approximately
remuneration
commence
exceedingly
attempt
discontinue
magnitude
possesses
purchase
requested
subsequently
terminate
ascertain
utilise
residence
ameliorate
18 Girlguiding Writing Guidelines
now
because
without
poor
thought
appeared
because
and
many
if
except
make
help
many
about
pay
start
very
try
stop
size
has
buy
asked
later
end
learn
use
home
improve
© Girlguiding 2013 www.girlguiding.org.uk
prior to
before
Exceptions apply where you may need to use the longer version to prevent too much repetition of the
simpler form.
Repeater phrases
new innovation
surrounded on all sides
red in colour
exactly the same
close proximity
free gift
in the field of biology
collaborate together
consensus of opinion
personal opinion
square in shape
future plans
close scrutiny
minute detail
shorter in length
prior experience
combine together
revert back
patently obvious
exact replica
completely unique
entirely new
join/meet together
or alternatively
and additionally
end result
added bonus
innovation
surrounded
red
the same
close
gift
in biology
collaborate
consensus
opinion
square
plans
scrutiny
detail
shorter
experience
combine
revert
obvious
replica
unique
new
join/meet
or
and
result
bonus
Americanisms
Depending on your readership, you may also want to watch out for certain Americanisms which,
though rapidly becoming the norm, are not yet standard in UK English.
faced up to
deliver on
head up
heads up
check out
free up
consult with
meet with
win out
check up on
divide up
outside of
someplace
store (for shop)
movie (for film)
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Corporate speak
Watch out for trendy words and phrases that have crept into general usage from business and
technical language. Many add them to their writing to look more ‘corporate’ and ‘serious’, but more
than likely they will render your text nonsensical.
deliver key learnings
interfacing with
holistic
delivery framework
best-practice solutions
synergy
impacted on
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2. About Girlguiding
General
Statement of purpose (never Vision or Mission)
Girlguiding enables girls and young women to develop their potential and to make a difference to the
world.
Logo strapline
WE DISCOVER, WE GROW
Who we are
One-sentence version
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK.
Short version
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. We build girls’ confidence and
raise their aspirations. We give them the chance to discover their full potential and encourage them
to be a powerful force for good. We give them a space to have fun.
Full version
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. Thanks to the dedication and
support of 100,000 amazing volunteers, we are active in every part of the UK, giving girls and young
women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life
skills and make a positive difference to their lives and their communities. We build girls’ confidence
and raise their aspirations. We give them the chance to discover their full potential and encourage
them to be a powerful force for good.
Key messages




We
We
We
We
are for all girls.
give girls their own space.
give girls a voice.
change as the lives of girls change.
Girlguiding and The Guide Association

Always use Girlguiding unless in a business/financial or legal context.
Please fill in the form and return to Girlguiding.
Please make all cheques payable to ‘The Guide Association’.

Girlguiding and The Guide Association take the singular form.
 Girlguiding is…
 Girlguiding are…
 The Guide Association believes…
 The Guide Association believe…

Girlguiding is a charity, so say ‘the charity’ instead of ‘the organisation’ whenever possible, unless
it affects the meaning.
Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women
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but
Members across the organisation

Do not use ‘the Association’ unless ‘The Guide Association’ has been mentioned earlier.

Never abbreviate Girlguiding to GG, or The Guide Association to GA.

Girlguding UK is used in an international context.
guiding and Girlguiding

Always refer to ‘guiding’ in lower case unless it is in the same sentence as Scouting, or in a
WAGGGS-related (global) context such as World Guiding.

Do not use ‘Girlguiding’ instead of ‘guiding’. Use Girlguiding only when referring to the charity or
as part of the name of a guiding location – District, Division, County, Country, Region, Branch
Associations, Training and Activity Centres (TACs) etc.
 Girlguiding
 Girlguiding Scotland
 Girlguiding Armagh
 the girlguiding movement…
 surveys show girls enjoy weekly girlguiding meetings for the fun and friendship

Refer to our members as ‘Girlguiding members’ not ‘guiding members’.
www.girlguiding.org.uk

Include the website on all communication.

Other Girlguiding websites.
www.girlguidingshop.co.uk
www.blacklandfarm.org.uk (TAC)
www.waddow.org.uk (TAC)
www.foxlease.org.uk (TAC)
www.icando.org.uk (TAC)
www.trefoilguilduk.org.uk (Trefoil Guild)

When directing to a specific website area or page use the following convention (also known as
breadcrumbs).
www.girlguiding.org.uk > Members’ area > Running your unit

Website shortcuts.
Rainbow website www.girlguiding.org.uk/rainbows
Brownie website www.girlguiding.org.uk/brownies
Guide website www.girlguiding.org.uk/guides
The Senior Section website www.girlguiding.org.uk/seniorsection
Go! (Guiding Organiser) www.girlguiding.org.uk/go
The Guiding Manual www.girlguiding.org.uk/guidingmanual
Press Office www.girlguiding.org.uk/press
Centenary Fund www.girlguiding.org.uk/centenaryfund
Charity Challenges www.girlguiding.org.uk/charitychallenge
Contact Us www.girlguiding.org.uk/contactus
Girls’ Attitudes Survey www.girlguiding.org.uk/girlsattitudes
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Join Us www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus
Innovate www.girlguiding.org.uk/innovate
Interested www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested
Online Print Centre www.girlguiding.org.uk/opc
Our brand www.girlguiding.org.uk/brand
Vacancies www.girlguiding.org.uk/vacancy
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
Always define on first usage, then use acronym for subsequent mentions.
The Scout Association
Always mention ‘Guiding’ before ‘Scouting’, with ‘Guiding’ in initial letter upper case.
People and roles
Use the following correct terms for people and their guiding roles.
The Patron
Her Majesty The Queen
The President
Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex or HRH The Countess of Wessex (initial use), The Countess
(further uses). Never use ‘Sophie’. Her husband is The Earl of Wessex.
Vice President (when followed by name)
The Founder
the First Baron Baden-Powell of Gilwell, OM
Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell (1857–1941)
Robert Baden-Powell (if the reference is to a time before he became Lord, ie before September 1929)
The World Chief Guide
Olave, Lady Baden-Powell
Lord and Lady Baden-Powell or Lord Robert Baden-Powell and Olave, Lady BadenPowell (there is a current Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, so if it is not clear from
the context who is being referred to, use first names as well)
Notable volunteer roles
Chief Guide
Deputy Chief Guide
Chief Commissioner
International Commissioner
Commissioner for British Guides in Foreign Countries
County Commissioner
Division Commissioner
Assistant Division Commissioner
District Commissioner
Assistant District Commissioner
[level] Commissioner Designate
Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee
Chair of the Guiding Development Committee
Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee
Chair of the Membership Support Services Committee
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Chair of the Forum for Young Women
Chairman of the Trefoil Guild
Notable groups, committees and funds
Council
Executive Committee
Committee of the Council also the Executive Committee
Awards Committee
Finance and General Purposes Committee
Guiding Development Committee
Marketing and Communications Committee
Membership Support Services Committee
Trefoil Guild Executive Committee
Innovate – known as the Forum for Young Women in official documents
Local Management Committee (LMC)
Advocate! – Girlguiding’s youth advocacy panel
Trefoil Guild
Friends of Guiding
International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF)
Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO)
Student Scout and Guide Club
Centenary Fund (no longer the Olave Baden-Powell Bursary Fund)
Guide Friendship Fund
World Thinking Day Fund
Promise, Laws and special sayings
Rainbow Guide Promise
I promise that I will do my best to think about my beliefs and to be kind and helpful.
Brownie Guide Promise
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.
Guide/Senior Section/adult Promise
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 Guide Law.
Brownie Guide Law
A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a Good Turn every day.
Special Brownie saying
Lend a Hand
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Guide Law
1
2
3
4
5
6
A
A
A
A
A
A
Guide
Guide
Guide
Guide
Guide
Guide
is honest, reliable and can be trusted.
is helpful and uses her time and abilities wisely.
faces challenge and learns from her experience.
is a good friend and a sister to all Guides.
is polite and considerate.
respects all living things and takes care of the world around her.
Section programmes
Rainbow/Brownie/Guide programme
Rainbow Jigsaw – Look, Learn, Laugh, Love
Brownie Adventure
Look Wider (The Senior Section)
Guiding Method
The Five Essentials (or) the five essential elements (which are in this order but not numbered) – these
refer to all sections.





Guides work together in small groups.
Guides are encouraged to govern themselves and make their own decisions.
Guides have a balanced and varied programme.
Guides care for the individual.
Guides share a commitment to a common standard.
Abbreviations and acronyms
When using abbreviations and acronyms, consider that your readers, particularly anyone not involved
with guiding, may not be familiar with them. Always spell out the full term at first use, with the
abbreviation or acronym following in brackets, and then use for further mentions.
BGIFC – British Guides in Foreign Countries
DofE – the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
GFF – the Guide Friendship Fund
Go! – Guiding Organiser, the membership database
ISGF – the International Scout and Guide Fellowship
LaSER – London and South East England Region
OPC – Online Print Centre
QGA – the Queen’s Guide Award
SSAGO – the Student Scout and Guide Organisation
TAC – Training and Activity Centre
WAGGGS – the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
Areas and centres
Girlguiding Headquarters
Girlguiding Headquarters
17–19 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 0PT
T: 020 7834 6242
F: 020 7828 8317
E: [email protected]
W: www.girlguiding.org.uk
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Girlguiding Countries, Regions and overseas
Girlguiding Anglia
Girlguiding Cymru (pronounced ‘coom-ree’) (Wales)
Girlguiding London and South East England (LaSER)
Girlguiding Midlands
Girlguiding North East England
Girlguiding North West England
Girlguiding South West England
Girlguiding Scotland
Girlguiding Ulster
British Guides in Foreign Countries/Girlguiding BGIFC
Girlguiding Training and Activity Centres (TACs)
Foxlease (Hampshire)
Waddow Hall (Lancashire)
Blackland Farm (Sussex)
ICANDO (London)
Girlguiding [Trading Service]



Refer to our trading arm as ‘Girlguiding’.
‘Trading Service’ should be used only in references to the site in Manchester (ie address/contact
details), and always to be preceded by ‘Girlguiding’.
Girlguiding
Trading Service
Atlantic Street
The online shop url is www.girlguidingshop.co.uk.
Other centres
Broneirion
Glenbrook
Hautbois (pronounced ‘hobbis’)
Lorne
Netherurd
WAGGGS’ Regions
Africa
Arab
Asia Pacific
Europe
Western Hemisphere
World Centres
Our Chalet – Switzerland
Our Cabaña – Mexico
Pax Lodge - UK
Sangam – India
Awards
Silver Fish
Guiding Star
Laurel Award
Thanks badge
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Good Service brooch
Long Service awards – 5, 10, 20, 30 or 40 years
Chief Guide’s Challenge
Baden-Powell Challenge (the Baden-Powell Adventure)
Queen’s Guide Award (a Queen’s Guide)
Commonwealth Award
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Residential licences
Overnight Licence
Brownie Camp Licence
Guide Camp Licence
Senior Section Camp Licence
Brownie Holiday Licence
Guide Holiday Licence
Senior Section Holiday Licence
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3. Girlguiding A to Z
1st Response
4 (peer education)
4CaST
Activate
Action on Hearing Loss – formerly RNID
Activity Centres (Young Persons’ Safety) Act 1995
adult
Adventure Activities Licensing Authority
Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004
adviser not advisor, initial letter upper case for role titles, eg Walking Adviser
Advocate for panel and Advocate or Advocates for panel members
affiliated organisations
Ambassador
area – ie District, Division, County, Country or Region
Assistant Leader, and also:
 Assistant Brownie Leader
 Assistant Guide Leader
 Assistant Rainbow Leader
 Assistant Senior Section Leader
Baden-Powell Challenge
badge
Badge Secretaries
Beaver Scouts (or Beavers), six- to eight-year-olds
BIG GIG
British Guides in Foreign Countries (BGIFC)
British Red Cross, but a Red Cross volunteer
Brownie
Brownie Adventure (the programme for Brownies)
Brownie Adventure (publication for younger Brownies)
Brownies Adventure On (publication for older Brownies)
Brownie Buddy
Brownie Camp Licence
Brownie Helper not Pack Leader
Brownie Holiday not Pack Holiday
Brownie Holiday Licence
Brownie unit not Brownie Pack
Brownies
bye-law
Camp and Holiday Scheme is now Going Away With Scheme
campfire
campsite
chair or chairperson (preferable where possible to chairman)
Charities Acts
Chief Commissioner
Chief Guide
Chief Guide’s Challenge
Centenary Fund not Olave Baden-Powell Bursary Fund
Children (Scotland) Act 1995
Children Act 1989
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ChildLine 0800 1111 – NSPCC counselling service
Childreach International – Girls in Action charity partner
Church Copyright Licence
Clause 1, upper case, for a particular Clause, but clause, lower case, for general use
Climate Week – annual initiative tackling climate change
Climbing and Abseiling Training Scheme
Commissioner
Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), replaced Commission for Racial Equality, Disability
Rights Commission and Equal Opportunities Commission in 2007
Commonwealth Award
Commonwealth Headquarters but Girlguiding Headquarters for non-guiding readers
community action
Contemplate
coordinator not co-ordinator, initial letter upper case for role titles, eg Training Coordinator
Country Code
County
County Arts Adviser
County Commissioner
County Child Protection Coordinator
Country
criminal record disclosure check (if general reference to include all of UK). Specific national agencies
are:
 Access Northern Ireland
 Disclosure and Barring Service (England and Wales)
 Disclosure Scotland
Cub Scouts (or Cubs), 8- to 10 ½-year-olds
Data Protection Acts
decision-making
Discover Girlguiding (formerly Girlguiding Today)
District
District Commissioner
Division
Division Commissioner
Division Team
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, then DofE for further mentions
elected member
e-card
e-learning
e-newsletter (if digital, ie not newsletter)
email
Equality Act 2010 (replaces Disabilities Discrimination Act)
ex officio member
Explorer Scouts (or Explorers), 14- to 18-year-olds
Facebook
fair trade, refers to general movement of enabling farmers in developing world to become selfsufficient
Fairtrade, the mark earned by products that meet the Fairtrade Foundation’s criteria
first aid/first aider
First World War
Five Essentials
Flickr
Forum for Young Women
Founder
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fundraising not fund-raising
GAINING is now Travelling Abroad Training Programme
Gift Aid
Girlguiding Anglia
Girlguiding Blackland Farm
Girlguiding Cymru (Wales)
Girlguiding Foxlease
Girlguiding Headquarters for non-guiding readers, not Commonwealth Headquarters
Girlguiding London and South East England (LaSER)
Girlguiding Midlands
Girlguiding North East England
Girlguiding North West England
Girlguiding South West England
Girlguiding Scotland
Girlguiding Ulster
Girlguiding Waddow Hall
Girls in Action
Go For It!/Go For Its!
Go For It! Specific resource title like this
Go For Its!
Go! – Guiding Organiser
Going Away With Scheme (formerly Camp and Holiday Scheme)
GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development)
Good Turn
Growing Guiding
Guide
Guide Association, The
Guide Association Trust Corporation, The
Guide Camp Permit
Guide Camp Licence
Guide Holiday Licence
Guide International Service (GIS)
Guide sign
Guides
guiding
The Guiding Handbook
The Guiding Manual
Guiding Method
Guiding Organiser – Go!
guiding wear not uniform; also Rainbow wear, Brownie wear, Guide wear, Senior Section wear, adult
wear
Guiding Essentials catalogue
guiding magazine
ICANDO London
In4mer is now Peer Educator
Incorporated by Royal Charter
Innovate
interest badges
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (always in full)
International Scout and Guide Fellowship (ISGF)
internet
INTOPS (INTernational OPportunitieS)
Join Us telephone number
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Joint Unit
Large Bus Permit
large-scale event
Leader not Guider
Leader in Training
Leadership Qualification (or adult Leadership Qualification)
Leadership Team or Unit Team
life jacket
lifebelt
lifeguard
Long Service awards
Look Wider
Marketing and Communications (M&C) Adviser
member
Member Organisation (of WAGGGS)
messageboard
Method (the Guiding Method), also the Five Essentials
Mentor
National Youth Agency (NYA)
NSPCC, no need to spell out
non-guiding
occasional helper
octant
order code – Girlguiding order code not Trading Service order code
Outdoor Activities team
Overnight Licence
Overnight Permit
Oxfam not OXFAM
parent/carer not parent/guardian
Patrol
Patrol sleepovers
Patron, the
Peer Educator (formerly In4mer)
Peer Group residential events
President
Promise
Promise badge
Promise Celebration not enrolment
Promise sign
Queen’s Guide Award
Rainbow
Rainbow Chat
Rainbow Helper
Rainbow Jigsaw
Rainbows
Ranger
Ranger Executive Committee
recognised volunteer
recruitment checks
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Region
Registered charity number 306016
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
RNIB – Royal National Institute of Blind People (no longer ‘the Blind’)
RNID – now called Action on Hearing Loss
Royal Charter and Bye-laws
RSPB – no need to spell out
RSPCA – no need to spell out
Save the Children – never StC
Scope (not SCOPE) – UK charity for disabled people (formerly Spastics Society)
Scouting/the Scout Association
Scout Network (or Network) Member, 18- to 25-year-olds
Scouts, 10 ½- to 14-year-olds
Second [of a Patrol or Six]
Second World War
Senior Section, The – never abbreviate to SS and say as much as possible ‘member of The Senior
Section’ instead of ‘Senior Section member’
Senior Section Camp Licence
Senior Section Holiday Licence
Senior Section Permit
Sex Discrimination Act 1986
she and they – ‘she’ for all communications relating to members, ‘they’ for general
Shelter, Shelter Cymru, Shelter Scotland (no Northern Ireland branch)
Six
Six/Patrol emblems
Sixer/Sixes
Special Needs Adviser/Coordinator not Adviser for Members with Disabilities
special saying
St Andrew’s First Aid – first aid services provider in Scotland
St John Ambulance – first aid services provider in England
St John Cymru Wales
STI (sexually transmitted infection) is preferable to STD (sexually transmitted disease)
Student Scout and Guide Clubs
Student Scout and Guide Organisation (SSAGO)
Trainer
Trainer Qualification
Training and Activity Centres (TACs)
Training Opportunities: Camp and Holiday Scheme (in italics for publication)
Travelling Abroad Training Programme (formerly GAINING)
trefoil
Trefoil Guild
Trooping the Colour not Trooping of the Colour
tweeters or twitterers
tweeting or twittering
Twitter
UNICEF or UNICEF UK, not Unicef
UN, no need to spell out
Union Flag
unit
Unit Helper
Unit Leader not Guider
unit meeting
Unit Team or Leadership Team
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url
volunteer
volunteer shop not depot
Waddow Hall not Waddow
Walking Scheme
Water Activities Adviser
WaterAid (all one word)
Water Safety Award
WE DISCOVER, WE GROW – logo strapline
website
World Badge
World Bureau
World Centre
World Chief Guide
World Conference
World Flag
World Health Organization – with a ‘z’
World Thinking Day (22 February)
WWF or WWF-UK – do not spell out, it is no longer the abbreviation for the World Wide Fund for
Nature
Young Leader
Young Leader Qualification
Youth Forum
YouTube
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4. Copyright guidelines
Text that has previously been published, in print or on the internet, is generally under copyright and
cannot be reproduced without permission.
It is perfectly acceptable to find facts or ideas from other sources when writing a Girlguiding
publication. However, care must be taken not to breach the law of copyright by sticking too closely to
the source text.
The examples below show what can and can’t be done with text from other sources, particularly the
internet.
Original text
The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca or ‘black-and-white cat-foot’) is a mammal now usually
classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China.
Easily recognisable through its large, distinctive black patches on the eyes, ears and on its rotund body, the
Giant Panda is one of the most endangered animals in the world: an estimated 1,600 pandas live in the wild
and some 160 of them live in captivity, according to a 2004 census.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_panda
What not to do
Cut and paste:
The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca or ‘black-and-white cat-foot’) is a mammal now usually
classified in the bear family, Ursidae, native to central and southern China.
Easily recognisable through its large, distinctive black patches on the eyes, ears and on its rotund body, the
Giant Panda is one of the most endangered animals in the world: an estimated 1,600 pandas live in the wild
and some 160 of them live in captivity, according to a 2004 census.
This text may be just what you want, but it would breach copyright to cut and paste it into the
resource being written.
Alter it slightly:
The Giant Panda (its Latin name Ailuropoda melanoleuca means ‘black-and-white cat-foot’) lives in China.
A mammal, it is usually classified in the bear family, Ursidae.
The panda is easily recognised by its large, distinctive black patches on the eyes, ears and on its rotund body.
The Giant Panda is one of the most endangered animals in the world. A 2004 census estimated that 1,600
pandas live in the wild and about 160 live in captivity.
This is too similar to the original text and would breach copyright.
Alter the structure:
• The Giant Panda’s Latin name is Ailuropoda melanoleuca or ‘black-and-white cat-foot’.
• It is a mammal now usually classified in the bear family, Ursidae.
• It is native to central and southern China.
• The Giant Panda is easily recognisable by large, distinctive black patches on the eyes, ears and its rotund
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body.
• It is one of the most endangered animals in the world: an estimated 1,600 pandas live in the wild and about
160 live in captivity, according to a 2004 census.
This is too similar to the original text and would breach copyright.
What to do
Rewrite, combining with facts from other sources:
The giant panda, one of the world’s most endangered animals, lives in the mountain forests of China. Its
numbers have dropped due to destruction of its habitat: the panda eats only bamboo and needs a large
territory of bamboo forest to survive.
The panda is a very distinctive and popular animal, owing to its black and white markings and cuddly
appearance. International conservation efforts and breeding programmes are in place to try and save the giant
panda – but in 2004 it was estimated that there were only 1,600 pandas still living in the wild.
Checking
If someone has taken text from another source, even if they think they have rewritten it enough, ask
them for the source text/link so it can be checked.
Seeking permission to reproduce text
Sometimes it may be appropriate to ask permission to reproduce text from other sources, such as
statistics, reports or activities published by other organisations. In some cases it would enhance
Girlguiding’s publication if we used material from authoritative sources.
If you want to reproduce text in a Girlguiding publication, follow the steps under ‘Requesting
permission’ below.
Breach of copyright could result in Girlguiding being sued, so be safe rather than sorry.
Requesting permission
Sometimes we want to use material published elsewhere. When requesting permission to reproduce
copyright material, include the following:

Information about the publication:
1. title
2. brief description of the theme, aim, audience
3. page extent
4. *print run - give a higher figure, for example, if you anticipate a 7,000 print run say ‘up to
10,000’
5. territory in which it will be sold - UK only in most cases
6. selling price, if known, or if it is free.
*If the resource is a website download, simply state where it will be hosted and who it is aimed at.

Attach the exact material which you want to use. Make sure you say clearly where it comes from:
publication title, author, edition/year published, page number. Explain the context in which the
material would be used in our publication.

Ask how the individual or organisation would like to be credited, if they are able to grant
permission.
When dealing with commercial publishers or organisations, emphasise that we are a charity. This may
prompt them to reduce or waive any fees! Allow yourself plenty of time as well to secure copyright
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clearance – six weeks as a minimum.
Girlguiding copyright and trademarks
To read about Girlguiding copyright and trademarks go to www.girlguiding.org.uk/guidingmanual >
Supporting information > Copyright and trademarks.
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5. Clear print guidelines
Under the Equality Act 2010 Girlguiding has a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to the way we
‘provide services’. This includes ensuring that our standard printed information is as accessible as
possible to the majority of people with reading and learning difficulties. However, as an organisation
committed to being inclusive, we should aim to produce accessible information regardless of legal
obligations.
By adhering to a few simple guidelines outlined in this section we can make sure that the information
we produce is more accessible.
Typeface
Choosing fonts

Use clear and simple fonts. There are two types of fonts – serif fonts, which have ‘little feet’ at
the ends of the letter, and sans serif fonts, which do not. A sans serif font such as Trebuchet is
easier to read, but a serif font such as Times New Roman is acceptable too.

Highly stylised or ornate fonts are harder to read so avoid or restrict to (large) headings.
Font size
We all have an ‘optimum’ print size, meaning the size of text at which our reading speed is at its
highest, and further increases in size will not make us read any faster. By increasing text size we can
aid more young readers and people with sight difficulties and learning disabilities to reach their
optimum reading speed. RNIB has estimated that for every point size increase over 10 points, there is
a 30 per cent increase in the proportion of the population able to reach their highest reading speed.
As a guideline, rather than determining the size of your text by point size, measure instead the height
of the ‘x’ on the actual printed page. The RNIB recommends that for standard text it should be a
minimum of 2mm or ideally 2.3mm. (The x-height on this page for instance, if printed on A4 at 100
per cent size, is 2mm.)
Font weight
Given the choice between light, medium and heavy versions of a font, avoid the light option as this
results in poor contrast against the background.
Font style
Most of us read by remembering word shapes, rather than individual letters. This means that text set
in italics, CAPITALS and underlined are hard for partially sighted people to read as the word shapes
are harder to recognise.
For this reason avoid long passages of text in italics, capitals or underlined. If you need to give
emphasis to parts of your text, try bold instead.
Italicised headings can be acceptable if they are also made bold, and the point size is large enough.
Leading
As a general rule the space between one line and the next should be at least 1.5 to 2 times the space
between the words on a line. In Microsoft Word anything less than single line spacing is inadequate.
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Numbers

Certain typefaces make it more likely to confuse numbers, for example 3, 5 and 8 or 0 and 6, so
choose fonts carefully.

When working with tables, for instance in Excel, centre your text inside the cells, otherwise the
numbers may touch the boundary of the table and make it difficult to read.
Spacing
Avoid negative or condensed spacing (ie to fit more/squeeze text on a line) as this makes it more
difficult to read text.
Alignment

Align text to the left margin as this makes it easier to find the starting point of the next line.

Avoid using justified text as it results in widely spaced or crammed lines of text.

It is fine to centre titles or main headings but not blocks of text.
Design and layout
Colours
Avoid colour coding on your publication, unless you can include another identifying system alongside it
that does not involve recognising colours. Using a system that involves interpreting information by
identifying colours is not inclusive towards people with partial sight and colour blindness.
Contrasts

The contrast between text and background, and therefore readability, is greatest when using very
dark colours together with very pale colours.

Avoid text/background combinations of yellow and blue or green and red, which are difficult for
people with colour blindness to distinguish.
Reversing out

Make sure that the background colour is dark enough to provide sufficient contrast with the text.

Do not use a tint as a background.

Increase the weight of the text when reversing it out (ie bold).
Columns

Provide a clear gutter between text columns as partially sighted readers can make the mistake of
reading across them.

Avoid pictures within a column that force the reader to skip over them to read the next line.
Images

Never assume that a reader with visual impairment can see an image. They are likely to be
concentrating on the text and so will miss the images altogether. Therefore, never convey
information on a page through images alone, especially if the information is important. Clear
captions can help with this.

Use captions with images in a consistent manner so that the reader learns to recognise them.
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
When wrapping text around an image it is better to put the image to the right rather than left of
the image (and keeping text left aligned) to make it easy for the reader to find the start of the
next line.
Navigational aids

Try to use features which make the layout of the page easy to follow.

Recurring features such as headings and page numbers should always be in the same place.

In indexes and content pages keep names and page numbers close together, or linked somehow,
for instance by a clear dotted or unbroken line.

Leave a space between paragraphs rather than indenting text. Dividing text gives the eye a break.

Whatever methods you use, keep them consistent throughout.
Setting text
Set text horizontally as anything else (vertical, wavy, on an angle etc) makes it harder to follow.
Text over images
Avoid if possible, unless you have design software advanced enough to allow you to increase the
contrast between background and text (ie blurring and lightening/darkening of background so as to
distract from text as little as possible).
Choosing paper

How much light does the paper reflect? Glossy papers and gloss lamination for instance will reflect
and obscure the print. Matt, silk or uncoated paper will be more reader friendly.

What is the weight of the paper and how much does text from one side show through to the other?
As a guide, photocopying paper usually weighs about 80gsm, and a suggested minimum weight is
90gsm.
Format

On folded publications avoid creases that can obscure or distort text.

Create wide enough margins in books as text too close to the spine will distort.

People who use reading aids such as scanners and CCTVs need to be able to lay the document flat,
so think about the binding methods you use: perfect binding can be difficult, saddle stitching
works fine and wire or comb binding is the most ideal.

People with visual impairments who need to hold text very close to their eyes can find large
documents unwieldy.
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6. Digital communication guidelines
Writing for the web
These guidelines are intended to help web authors write good digital content and communicate
effectively online.
Writing for the web - what’s different?
People use websites in a very different way to how they read printed materials.
Key differences
 Web users are not usually reading for pleasure, but searching for specific information.

Web users will never simply read from ‘front cover to back page’, as we would a book – they scan
and skip between pages and sections.

People’s attention spans are shorter online and users expect information to be immediately
available.

Reading on screen is harder – studies show that when people do read text in full they read a lot
more slowly than they read printed text.

A webpage often has a wider audience than a printed document. It may be viewed by people from
anywhere in the world; that includes people of all ages and levels of understanding, and those who
may not have English as a first language.

People expect more informal language online than in print.
Golden rules for successful webpages
The following rules for successful webpages take account of the key differences above. Please take a
look at the example provided further on comparing a print and an online version of a news story to see
the rules applied in practice.

Edit copy if from a printed document. Never transfer copy straight from a printed document to
the web.

Keep pages short – under 250 words where possible. Cut out any ‘empty text’ that gets in the way
of the important messages and slows users down. Helpful tip: there is no need to repeat something
the page title already makes clear.

Keep sentences short.

Use clear, simple language. For example, use ‘take part’ instead of ‘participate’, or ‘friendly’
instead of ‘hospitable’. Avoid jargon or complicated terms that require specialist knowledge.

Do not use acronyms without first writing them out in full. This applies to every page where the
acronym appears.

Break up text. Long, dense chunks of text are very off-putting online. If there is a lot of content
on the page, use subheadings, short paragraphs (ideally no more than five lines deep) and bullet
points to break it up. You should be able to see the main points of information easily by scanning
the page.
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
Put important information at the top of the page. Your opening sentence and page title should
make it clear what your page is about. We shouldn’t expect users to read through paragraphs of
introductory text in order to get to the main information they need.

Think about your audience – write with their needs in mind and adjust your tone accordingly. For
example, pages in the members’ area should be addressed only to members. On the other hand
the external pages are just that – aimed at people new to guiding. Do not assume that the user has
the same knowledge of guiding or understanding of the subject matter as you do. Structure your
webpages to mirror the user’s needs and not your departmental or project structure.

Write in a more direct informal style than you would do in print. It is acceptable to use the first
and second person (‘we’ and ‘you’). For example, say ‘We are launching a new resource for you to
use’, not ‘Girlguiding is launching a new resource for members to use.’

Consistency is crucial. Any material written for online use should follow the guidelines in
Chapters 1 and 2, and we recommend that web authors read them in full before publishing any
content.

Write good headings. Your reader should be able to tell what the page is about from the page
title, so make headings as clear and descriptive as possible rather than witty or clever. Try not to
use too many words as page titles often need to fit on the navigation bar/menus.
Check you have used sentence case for page titles, sub-headings and the navigation bar/menus.
Only the first letter is capitalised. For example, ‘Funding for your trip’, not ‘Funding For Your
Trip’ or ‘FUNDING FOR YOUR TRIP’.

Use descriptive link text. A reader should be able to tell what they are linking to by reading only
the text contained in a link. For example, use ‘Click here to read The Guiding Manual’ rather than
‘Click here to read The Guiding Manual’ or ‘Click here for more information.’ This is particularly
important for users with visual impairment. Screen readers and Braille output are usually set to
read the links separately from the content of the page, allowing users to tab through links without
needing to read text that precede and follow them.
Use action words such as ‘read’, ‘find out’, ‘discover’, and ‘check out’ in your links.
Links to external websites should be followed by the following text: ‘(This link will open in a new
window.)’ The web editor will alter the HTML code to enable this to happen.
Never underline text that is not a link.

Use active rather than passive sentences where possible, as readers have trouble understanding
these sentences when reading at speed. For example, use ‘The Scout Association wrote the report’
rather than ‘the report was written by the Scout Association’.

Use simple sentence structures. The first sentence below is easier for people to understand when
reading at speed.
The majority of ten-year-old girls in Indonesia cannot read because they are often last in line for school places.
Often last in line for school places, the majority of ten-year-old girls in Indonesia cannot read.
A print and online version of the same newspaper article
Print version
I say, who is that appalling old waxwork?
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He once referred to venerable Chinese officials as ‘appalling old waxworks’. Those disparaging words may come
back to haunt Prince Charles when he views his latest incarnation at Madame Tussauds. The exhibit is the most
eco-friendly waxwork in the history of the museum. However, few would argue that it is the most life-like. Indeed
those of a critical disposition might observe that this particular prince has a jowly, over-tanned appearance and
slightly piggy eyes.
However, as the self-declared greenest member of the Royal family, Charles can console himself with the
knowledge that it is the first ‘carbon neutral’ model at the tourist attraction. Figures are normally produced entirely
from new materials. But this model was recycled from a 1989 waxwork of the prince while clay and beeswax were
used for the head, which was coloured with organic pigments.
The figure, which took four months to make, was painstakingly crafted in daylight to save electricity.
Sculptors made it entirely by hand rather than using electric machinery. They also cycled from the sculpting studio
in Acton, West London, to the main museum in the centre of the capital for meetings about the model, rather than
adding to global warming by travelling by car. All sketches and sculpting materials have been recycled, with the
‘carbon footprint’ left by the figure – equivalent to three trees – offset by buying three trees in Cornwall.
The latest Charles waxwork, which cost £100,000 to make, is certainly an improvement on the first
Madame Tussauds model of the prince, produced in 1952. Charles was made to look stern and formal, with varying
degrees of success at getting the likeness right. The 1977 effort, with ears and nose prominent, was considered a
triumph.
Spokesman Ben Lovett said yesterday: ‘We always try to be up to date with celebrities and felt it was
really important to reflect Prince Charles’s eco-role so we came up with this idea and suggested it to Clarence
House. Because of the “green” techniques used by the sculpting team for this model it has taken about a month
longer to complete. Clarence House are really pleased with the green approach and we have sent pictures to them
so the prince can see the model.’
Charles, 58, referred to Chinese officials as ‘appalling old waxworks’ in his journal when writing about the
hand-over of Hong Kong to China in 1997. The model of the prince launches a new Royal Zone at the museum.
Online version
Tussauds reveals new Charles waxwork
Madame Tussauds have revealed a new waxwork of Prince Charles. Critics might say that the model looks jowly
and over-tanned, and that it has piggy eyes. However, as the greenest member of the Royals, Charles would be
pleased that the model is the first carbon-neutral waxwork at the museum.
Eco-friendly
The exhibit is the most eco-friendly waxwork in the history of Madame Tussauds.






Sculptors recycled the body of an earlier waxwork of the prince to make it.
They made the waxwork by hand rather than using electric machinery.
Sculptors worked on the model in daylight to save electricity.
They cycled to meetings about the model rather than travelling by car.
Sculptors used recycled materials.
The creative team even offset the waxwork’s carbon footprint by buying three trees in Cornwall.
Previous models of Charles
The latest waxwork is better than previous models of Charles. Tussauds made their first model in 1952, which
looked like a ventriloquist’s dummy. Since then the museum has had a go at doing Charles a few times with
varying degrees of success. The 1977 effort was considered a triumph, with its sticky-out ears and nose.
Spokesman Ben Lovett said yesterday, ‘We always try to be up to date with celebrities and felt it was really
important to reflect Prince Charles’s eco-role… Clarence House are really pleased with the green approach and we
have sent pictures to them so the prince can see the model.’
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Click here if you’d like to see photos of the waxwork.
Web search engines, SEO and keywords
How search engines work
Search engines, such as Google, help connect internet users to information they want. They do this by
analysing text on webpages and recording what they perceive to be the most important words – the
keywords.
When you type the words you are looking for into a search box, the engine tries to match your words
with the words from the webpages it has analysed, and then delivers a list of best matches.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
SEO means writing web content that is delivered effectively by search engines to your desired
audience.
SEO made simple
 Write information-rich but not text-heavy copy that people will want to read.

Figure out which words people are likely to use in searches, and then embed those keywords in
your content.
Please note: SEO is not about trying to trick search engines by stuffing your content with unrelated
keywords, or so many repeated keywords that your copy becomes silly.
Tips for effective keywords
You can help improve the quality of the results returned by the Girlguiding website search engine by
really thinking about what people will be typing into searches if they wish to find your content. Below
are some guidelines to help you come up with effective keywords for your web content.

Take the time to do it right. Think about the keywords or phrases that best summarise what you
are trying to say in your content.

Think about how your audience would search (for your content), and use the keywords they would
use.

Think about your keywords in the wider context of the Girlguiding website – it is a guiding website
so using keywords such as ‘guiding’, ‘member’, ‘Leader’ or ‘volunteer’, which aren’t very unique,
will be of no help at all in distinguishing your page from any other.

Make sure that your most important keywords get used in the heading and summary of your
content. There should be no mystery as to what your content is about.

If revisiting existing content, delete keywords already there and start from scratch.

Where possible, avoid single keywords. Increasingly, people search using two or more words, so
use key phrases rather than individual keywords.

Consider using Google’s Keyword Tool (www.googlekeywordtool.com) to determine the search
phrases most frequently used.
Writing for digital newsletters
The rules that apply to writing website content will largely also apply to writing content for digital
newsletters.
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Best practice for newsletter stories

Your newsletter will have an approximate word limit for each story – stick to it. Our section
newsletters (Your Rainbow/Brownie/Guide/etc News), for example, have a 60-word limit for each
story. If you have a lot to say, consider putting the extra content online instead and linking to it.

Content for digital newsletters is processed by readers much like content for webpages, so follow
the ‘Writing for the web’ guidelines above.

Keep the tone sharp and precise, offering your target audience (eg Leaders) practical content they
can act on (eg in their units).

Stick to your newsletter’s story limit. Too many stories risk losing your reader’s interest. Our
section newsletters for instance have a 12-story limit per issue.

Consider the timing and frequency of a story: does it really need to go into three issues in a row if
nothing new is being said each time?

Ensure all web addresses, downloads and resources mentioned in your story are ready well before
the newsletter is published.
Increasing the likelihood of your story being read
 Make it relevant.

Make it easy for your target audience (eg Leaders) to take action. Be clear about what you want
them to do – sign up, share, respond to a question etc.

Connect it to something topical, eg in the news, whether serious or light-hearted.

If writing for our section newsletters, differentiate between each section (ie make it topical and
distinct for Rainbows/Brownies/etc respectively).

Be clear about the purpose of your story. Is it for your target reader as an individual or in her role
as, for example, a Leader?

Provide a compelling photo to go with the story.
When your newsletter story should go in the magazine instead
 If it can’t be said in 60 words or less.

If it’s general news rather than a specific call to action.

If it’s something people are likely to go back to several times.

If it’s self-contained and doesn’t link back to the website or a specific resource.

If it’s a concept that takes a little more explaining.

If it may be controversial, and/or would benefit from having a range of guiding voices in support.

If it’s a resource or advice likely to be used more than once.

If it’s not time sensitive.
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Social media
By the end of 2012 Facebook had over a billion users worldwide (over 30 million in the UK), and
Twitter 500 million users (over 10 million in the UK). As our social media following grows, so do the
possibilities of how we interact with members and non-members. As well as another way of
broadcasting news, social media has also evolved into a helpful tool for, among other things,
promoting and protecting the Girlguiding brand, customer service, supporting units, and responding to
and resolving complaints.
Below are some helpful dos and don’ts of how to use social media.
Do





Repost positive messages.
Respond to genuine complaints, in a timely fashion, with an accurate response.
Thank people for compliments.
Pass on criticism and complaints to the relevant teams.
Ask for advice if you need it.
Don’t





Get angry, upset or annoyed. (Keep calm and carry on.)
Feed the trolls.
Damage our brand.
Link to unsuitable websites.
Post advice that might lead followers to break Terms of Service.
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7. guiding magazine guidelines
Credits
For single pages
WORDS: Madeline Greenham. PHOTOGRAPHY: Jan Smith, Mike Milligan.
For features
If crediting a feature it’s probably best to put word/photo credits on the first page or at the end like
other magazines. For example:
WORDS: Jeff Anderson. PHOTOGRAPHY: Girlguiding UK, Anna Wilson, Kyle Branning, Taylor
Jordan.
Girlguiding photos
For all Girlguiding stock library images credit ‘Girlguiding’ rather than individual photographers,
except for the front cover photo, which should be credited on the contents page. For example:
COVER PHOTO: Laura Ashman.
Girlguiding products
The price and order code of Girlguiding products are not in bold.
Jacket (£35, order code 2038)
urls and email
All web addresses and emails should be in italics. Where there is room it should go on one line. If
there is no direct web link to a section of the Girlguiding website then use forward arrows to direct
people to the correct location on the website. Note only the url is italicised.
www.girlguiding.org.uk > Members’ area > The Guiding Manual.
Dates/Times/Phone numbers
Are not in bold.
Dates
When mentioning dates, include the year only if it is relevant to the last or following year. In a
sentence, if a date spans a certain length of time use the words ‘to’ or ‘until’ or ‘and’, instead of a
dash. For example:
The event runs from 6 May until 8 July.
You can visit the exhibition between 6 May and 8 July.
The shop is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
In list:
2–3 January
9am–4pm
Mon–Fri
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8. Print/download resources guidelines
Producing large-print and text-only resources
To further comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, we need to be able to make our
resources accessible to people with visual impairments and learning disabilities in specific formats.
There are two different ways of doing this.
Girl books
We generally want large print books for girls to be as similar as possible to the ‘standard’ versions: full
colour, illustrated and preserving as much of the style of the original as possible. This work has to be
contracted out to specialist transcribing companies.
Start by finding out exactly what is needed: does it have to be the same size and cover as the existing
resource, or is there flexibility? Find out how many copies are needed.
The transcribers will need to work from the printers’ files, so the job can’t be sent out until the
standard resource is printed and the files received back from the printers.
When requesting a quote, first find out what the company needs to see in order to be able to quote;
some can quote from proofs while others want to see the finished product, pdfs or design files.
Give as much information as possible, including:
 size
 extent
 stock
 age of audience
 quantity
 any ‘extras’ such as ring binder, stickers and so on.
You may be asked about the format in which you can supply text, images and so on; consult with
Design to find out what is possible.
The aim is to keep as much of the style of the original publication as possible. The transcribers will
need to move text and images around, strip out any features that make it more difficult to read,
probably cut down the amount of images, and change some colour combinations.
When agreeing the contract, ask for proofs to be supplied so you can check them thoroughly before
print.
Large-print books are paid for by Guiding Development and should be delivered to that department.
Adult books
Adult books can generally be supplied as electronic text-only documents. Readers can increase the
point size of the text themselves to the required size or use the files with compatible software.
Again we need to work from printers’ files. Design will strip out all the text and pass it to Editorial for
proofing. It needs to be checked against the original to ensure that:
 there is no copy missing
 copy is all in the right order
 diagrams and tables are converted to text
 headings and text styles are tagged
 page references are changed – any references should be to chapter, section and so on rather than
to page numbers, since the text may be blown up to various sizes and this will affect the
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
pagination
any text that no longer makes sense is rewritten, for example text that describes a diagram which
has since been converted to text.
If illustrations need to be reinserted, mark where they should go and give the edited text back to
Studio, who will drop them in.
Producing Braille resources
Braille versions of our resources can be produced on request; this is handled by the Info Team. From
time to time the Info Team may request Word or pdf versions of resources for conversion into Braille.
Publication imprints
Comprehensive – use where possible [delete * as necessary]
Published by Girlguiding
17–19 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 0PT
[email protected]
www.girlguiding.org.uk
© Girlguiding 20XX
Registered charity number 306016. Incorporated by Royal Charter.
*ISBN 978 XXX XXX XXX X
Girlguiding order code: 6XXX
Printed in XX by XX
Project Coordinator: XX
Editor: XX
Designer: XX
Production: XX
*Illustrator: XX
*Photography by: XX
*[Writer/writing group]: [names in alpha order, include (chair)]
*Girlguiding would like to thank XX
Users are reminded that during the lifespan of this publication there may be changes to:
[choose policy and any other relevant]
• Girlguiding’s policy
• legal requirements
• practice by governing bodies, for example [something relevant]
• British Standards
which will affect the accuracy of the information contained within these pages.
*Although the terms ‘parent’ and ‘daughter’ are used in this resource, users should remember that
what is said may apply to a carer or other adult with parental responsibility, or their ward.
* In references to adult volunteers, for she read he/she.
Shortened
Published by Girlguiding
48 Girlguiding Writing Guidelines
© Girlguiding 2013 www.girlguiding.org.uk
17–19 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 0PT
[email protected]
www.girlguiding.org.uk
© Girlguiding 20XX
Registered charity number 306016. Incorporated by Royal Charter.
*ISBN 978 XXX XXX XXX X
Girlguiding order code: 6XXX
Printed in XX by XX
Project Coordinator: XX
Editor: XX
Designer: XX
Production: XX
*Illustrator: XX
*Photography by: XX
*Girlguiding would like to thank XX
Leaflets
Published by Girlguiding
17-19 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 0PT
[email protected]
www.girlguiding.org.uk
© Girlguiding 20XX
Registered charity number 306016. Incorporated by Royal Charter.
Bare minimum and to appear on every page of all online publications
© Girlguiding 20xx
Registered charity number 306016
www.girlguiding.org.uk
[logo must appear at least once on publication, usually cover/first page]
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