Inspirational Rainbow and Brownie leaders attend red carpet event
Last Saturday, an outstanding Exeter Brownie and Rainbow leader attended an exclusiveGirlguiding celebration along with the inspirational leader who mentored her.
Nicole McDermid, 19, and Amy Kellaway, 39, joined hundreds of fellow outstanding Girlguiding volunteers at the Girlguiding Celebrates event in London’s West End.
The fabulous annual party – now in its fourth year – thanked and celebrated volunteers who were nominated by other Girlguiding members, parents and carers for making incredible contributions, or who have recently achieved a guiding award.
The unforgettable afternoon on June 6 saw attendees walk the red carpet like true VIPs, before enjoying delicious treats, refreshments and spectacular entertainment.
Nicole and Amy run two Rainbow units and a Brownie unit together in Heavitree, just outside the walls of the City of Exeter.
“We had a wonderful time Girlguiding Celebrates,”Amy said. “It was a privilege to stand beside my close friend and fellow leader, and I’m so proud of how far she has come.”
Nicole added: “It was so lovely to see so many amazing volunteers at the event. Chatting to different people from different areas of the country. All with different guiding experiences to share which was lovely to hear. They put on such an amazing and memorable event. I’ve loved telling the girls about it and how they have helped me achieve this.”
The pair were both nominated to attend Girlguiding Celebrates by parents of girls in their units, and Nicole was also nominated to attend by Amy herself, in recognition of how much she has grown as a volunteer.
Amy has been a Girlguiding volunteer for 11 years, having never been a member before. She had always wanted to work with children and was working as a mealtime assistant and a school escort for children with additional needs when she first started.
Despite multiple health conditions, Amy decided that in addition to being a Rainbow leader, she would start mentoring young leaders too. Nicole was the first young leader that Amy supported when she began mentoring. “She was very quiet and reserved at first, but I believed she could do it. It was as if she just needed to hear: ‘I believe in you – you are capable.’ To see her go from that shy 17-year-old to what she is now – I get just as much out of mentoring as working with the girls. I am so proud of her.” Amy said
Involved with Girlguiding since she joined as a Rainbow at age 4, Nicole said she feels proud to have been put forward to attend Girlguiding Celebrates.
“It was quite a shock… but really nice to have that recognition. Being a leader gives me a purpose… it’s my space to just be me. The leaders I had inspired me to want to become a leader myself. The memories that I saw them make with the girls, I knew I wanted to make those too” Nicole said.
“There are a lot of experiences that I’ve had in Girlguiding that I don’t think I would have without it, like me and Amy are really close friends now and we’ve made a lot of memories together. It’s also my space, like, that hour each week is for me just to be me.”
The Girlguiding Celebrates event was held on June 6 at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square.
It took place during Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), an annual celebration to recognise the contributions of volunteers across the UK.
Girlguiding is powered by over 80,000 inspiring volunteers who give their time and talents to create the best experience for girls. Girls thrive in Girlguiding. They’re on average 28% more confident than other girls in the UK, and 15% happier.1
Girlguiding volunteers make a huge difference to the lives of thousands of girls, however much time they can spare. They also get to have lots of incredible experiences, develop new skills, and meet other like-minded people along the way.
