MONMOUTHSHIRE Brownies celebrated 100 years of the institution with a tea party at the weekend.

Around 70 members from the First, Second and Third Caldicot Brownies and the first Portskewett Brownies celebrated the centenary with afternoon tea and games at St Pierre Marriott in Chepstow on Saturday.

Diane Cullimore, 51, branch leader for the first Portskewett Brownies, said: “They all thoroughly enjoyed the cream cakes and the games. It was very nice for the girls to make friends outside of their unit – they each had to make six new friends. It’s an achievement to reach 100 years, to get volunteers and leaders in to give their time to the girls. It’s a wonderful experience for them to be more independent – we’d like to keep it going.”

The girls enjoyed games which included sharks and dinosaurs – a game designed for children to become friends.Ms Cullimore added: “We ended the day with a Brownie Bells song, which has been going since it started in 1914. Sheila Bennet made a big celebration cake with 100 years on it and figurines of pixies, gnomes, sprites and elves to represent the different members of the Brownies.”