Sponsored by
Caring sisters are still Girl Guides at heart
THEY may have a combined age of 165, but young-at-heart sisters Gladys and Freda Harwin will forever be known as Girl Guides.
THEY may have a combined age of 165, but young-at-heart sisters Gladys and Freda Harwin will forever be known as Girl Guides.The caring duo have clocked up more than 100 years of volunteering for the organisation between them – leading girls and young women on hikes, camping trips and international adventures.
They have also delighted Guides and Brownies across the March area with their scrumptious chocolate cakes and even met Lady Olave Baden Powell, Chief Guide and the wife of the founder of the Scouting movement Lord Baden Powell.
To mark their amazing achievement, Gladys (85) and Freda (78) were both presented with the prestigious Girlguiding UK 50 Year Service Awards by county commissioner Sue Carpenter.
One of guiding's highest and most coveted awards, it recognises their contribution to volunteering for the organisation and providing life-changing opportunities for girls and young women in March for more than 50 years.
Freda said: "I thoroughly enjoy my involvement in guiding, seeing the girls grow in confidence and enthusiasm is fantastic.
"The Chief Guide once said guiding is all about having fun and that's what I've done – and I've made so many wonderful friends along the way, too."
During their involvement, both Gladys and Freda have taken on a variety of different roles, including running camps and activity days and leading international trips, as well as running exciting and challenging weekly meetings for Brownies and Guides.
Gladys and Freda were Paula Syred's former Guide and Brownie leaders.
Paula, who is now division commissioner for Girlguiding Fenland, said the fact eight former Queen's Guides, the highest accolade awarded to Guides, were at the presentation party was a testament to everything they had done for the movement.
She said: "Gladys became a lieutenant with 1st March Guides in 1943.
"She took us camping which included venues such as Hillingdon, in Norfolk, where we attended the church service at Sandringham, as well as hiking and map reading.
"After she retired from active guiding, she ran the trading service for Fenland Guides for a further 10 years.
"Freda became a Brownie leader in 1950. As well as running the Brownies, Freda used to organize the catering for the Guides' annual camp.
"Her chocolate pudding was to die for and all of us lived in hope of the wonderful second helpings."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.