A GRIMSBY Girlguiding member is poised to make her mark on the next generation of women leaders after earning the charity's ultimate honour – the Queen's Guide Award.
Laura Tucker, 25, has dedicated years to working toward guiding's highest accolade, which is presented to only a handful of Girlguiding's half a million members annually.
The Brownie and Ranger Leader received her award at a special ceremony in the House of Lords.
The Queen's Guide Award empowers young women, aged 16 to 25, to broaden their horizons, develop their leadership skills, raise their aspirations and discover their potential to improve their own lives and the lives of others.
The girls-only programme sets members a series of demanding challenges, including embarking on an ambitious four-day expedition, overseeing a ground-breaking community action project and devoting a year to cultivating a skill of their choice.
Among the tasks customer assistant Laura chose to tackle were gaining her boating licence to take a guiding trip along the Rochdale Canal, running a Samaritans' charity shoeboxes project and taking part in an international Guide camp in Ontario, Canada.
She said: "I don't think I would be as adventurous or confident to take on challenges in life if I had not had the background in guiding.
"I am currently planning a trip to Sweden with my Rangers, something I probably wouldn't have done before my Queens Guide Award."
Laura received her award from Baroness Caroline Cox and Chief Guide Gill Slocombe, herself a former recipient.
Gill said: "The Queen's Guide Award embodies all that's best about guiding.
"The adventures that recipients experience, the skills they learn and the friendships and confidence they build will last a lifetime – and prove immensely valuable as they pursue their goals in life.
"This challenge has helped them become confident, skilled, self-reliant young women ready to make a positive difference to the world around them, and I have no doubt that they will."
Baroness Cox added: "The Queen's Guides are a real inspiration and I'm sure we can expect great things of them – it would not surprise me if these young women go on to make up our future generation of strong female leaders in the UK."
