Girlguiding badge to 'bring love' for Manx language

The new badge will be available from September

A new badge for girl guides and scouts will be introduced later this year, to "bring joy, and a love for Manx".

Organised by Culture Vannin, the badge's launch coincides with the 2026 Year of the Manx Language, a year-long celebration of the island's native tongue.

Gaelg Aboo - which translates as Hooray for the Manx language - launches in September, and will see girl guides aged four to 18 complete three sessions over the course of a year to earn the badge.

Ruth Keggin Gell, who has organised the project, said the sessions would provide "lots of wonderful social time through the medium of the Manx language".

'Unique Manx identity'

"There aren't very many Guiding or Scouts badges exploring languages, and so it's wonderful to create one that helps spread the importance of minority languages," said Ms Keggin Gell.

The badge will be available to 1,200 children who are part of the 70 local Girlguiding and scouts units.

Over the three sessions, using games and activities run by visiting instructors, participants will study greetings, numbers, telling the time, likes and dislikes, as well as basic food and drink vocabulary.

Ms Keggin Gell has herself designed the badge - an embroidered circular, blue purple and green emblem, with a speech bubble saying Gaelg Aboo!

She said the activities were intended to "reinforce" the Manx some children will be learning at school, as well as introducing it to those who have not yet started their studies.

"The hope is that it will leave them with some pride that they have learnt some Manx, and they have fun while learning it," she explained.

Su Simpson, from Girlguiding Isle of Man, said the team wanted to include the badge into its programme to "help members connect with their cultural heritage, and to take pride in the unique identity of the Isle of Man".