An inspirational Worthing leader at Girlguiding Sussex West has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year's Honours List 2026.

Karen Hopper was honoured by the King as a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire for services to Girlguiding.

She has been a Girlguiding volunteer since October 1982, holding various roles including Guide leader, District Commissioner and Assistant Division Commissioner over more than 40 years of volunteering.

As the Worthing Cissbury Division Ranger adviser, Karen received the Peter Sell Annual Award of £5,000 from The Leslie Sell Charitable Trust in 2020 to help grow the Rangers section, at a time when only ten per cent of Guides were moving on to the section for girls aged 14 to 18.

As well as being division ranger adviser, Karen is also the grants and fundraising adviser for Girlguiding Sussex West.