Northiam’s Sophie gains top Girl Guiding award

Sophie Phillips, 24, has shown she is leading the way after receiving the coveted Queen’s Guide Award.

The award was presented to Sophie by Baroness Floella Benjamin and Girlguiding UK’s Chief Guide Gill Slocombe – herself a Queen’s Guide – at a special ceremony held at the House of Lords last week.

The award sees participants take the lead in a number exciting areas including developing a personal skill, working within pioneering community action projects, and overseeing ambitious outdoor pursuits.

Sophie, who is leader of the 1st Beckley Brownies, and whose Queen’s Guide achievements included following the London Monopoly board on foot, said: “Guiding has definitely been the making of me, I had so little confidence but by the time I got to Rangers I had found who I was and have made so many great friends for life.”

The Queen’s Guide Award is the most prestigious guiding award open to members between the ages of 16 and 25.  As well as the activities carried out by Sophie, other recipients experienced challenging and innovative programmes such as working with the homeless and raising money for national charities.

Chief Guide Gill Slocombe added: “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.

“I’m sure the experience of the presentation itself will be just one of the happy memories they will look back on in years to come.”