More than 100 members of Girlguiding past and present attended the presentation of a Laurel Award to Greater London West County Commissioner Christine Wicks on Saturday. ‘The award, which is the highest award in Girlguiding and given for ‘Exceptional Service’ was full deserved’ said Dorothy Slyfield MBE and President of Greater London West Guides. She continued ‘Only a very few people each year receive this award and it recognises the achievement and dedication which Christine has shown over more than 40 years as a Leader’.

The award was presented by Joan Barclay who was Christine’s inspiration in her early years and the person who took Christine under her wing in her Clapham Park Guide Company when she might otherwise have given up. The badge was pinned on by Cynthia Beg, Christine’s Ranger Leader who had also played a major part in her early Guiding years.

Christine, who also still runs a Brownie unit celebrated afterwards with a lavish buffet and subsequently posed with her Brownies the following Monday at her regular Brownie meeting when she received other gifts.

As County Commissioner, Christine is responsible for more than 6000 girls and Leaders throughout the boroughs of Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton.

Girlguiding UK is the UK’s largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women, with around 530,000 members and recognised volunteers. Over a third of girls and young women (aged 7-21) in the UK are involved in guiding, or have been in the past and almost half of all the women in the UK have been involved in guiding at some stage in their lives.

Girlguiding UK, part of a worldwide Movement of approximately 10 million girls and young women in 145 countries, celebrated its Centenary in 2010. Registered Charity No 306016 www.girlguiding.org.uk Based on information supplied by Steve Wicks.