Charlotte's top award from the Queen

by Kyle Ritchie

Charlotte Hunter (left) receives her award from Chief Guide Gill Slocombe.

A TURRIFF woman has been awarded Girlguiding UK’s top accolade – the Queen’s Guide Award.

Charlotte Hunter (27) was presented with the award during a ceremony at Rockingham Castle, Leicestershire.

The prize is presented to participants who take the lead in areas including developing a personal skill, working within pioneering community projects and overseeing ambitious outdoor pursuits.

Ms Hunter’s achievements include completing her music qualification, taking a group of Guides to the Norwegian International Camp last summer, and volunteering to promote Fair Trade awareness.

She said: "When I began my Queen’s Guide Award, I lacked confidence in my abilities to lead singing and to teach others to sing.

"By working through the music qualification, I greatly increased my confidence, and after finishing the award I started up three school choirs and a staff choir at the local primary schools where I teach.

"This has been a fantastic experience for me, and I have also been preparing the primary schools for concerts, shows and assemblies for the past two years with heightened enthusiasm and self-belief, making the children more confident in themselves and able to enjoy the experiences more fully.

"This is the most significant long-term effect the award has had on me."

The Queen’s Guide Award is the most prestigious award in Guiding, and is open to Guides aged between 16 and 25.

Other recipients experienced challenging and innovative programmes such as expeditions to Ghana and Switzerland, volunteering with Oxfam for a year, and projects aimed at raising money for a host of national charities.

Chief Guide Gill Slocombe, who presented the award, said: "Over the years, the Queen’s Guide Award has given many young women an amazing sense of empowerment and confidence.

"I hope they will serve as an inspiration to many more young women all over the country who are thinking about getting involved in Guiding.

"I am sure the presentation itself will be just one of the happy memories to look back on in years to come."