Queen's Guide Award to Chigwell Girlguide Katherine Lee

Published on 30 November 2005

Over 50 people gathered together on Friday 25th November in Chigwell to pay tribute to Guide Leader, Katherine Lee on the occasion of her Queen's Guide award presentation by Linda Taylor, County Commissioner for Essex West.

Invited guests included the Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, Councillor Brian Sandler and his wife, Brenda, the County Queen's Guide adviser Lindsay Gilbert, and Isabel Newstead a gold medal Olympic paraplegic pistol shooting winner who was inspirational in one of Katherine's modules for her award.

This award is given to Guide members aged 16 to 25 years and must be completed within 3 years. It is the highest award for members of GirlguidingUK and is a challenge physically and emotionally, which few complete. In fact the last recipient in our area was over 7 years ago. Katherine was presented with a framed certificate and badge and next year will be invited to a formal reception and presented to the GirlguidingUK President, HRH The Countess of Wessex.

It was a very emotional evening as Katherine has had Hodgkin's disease since the age of 12 and commenced her Queen's Guide whilst undergoing a bone marrow transplant at Barts. At times it seemed as though the illness was going to prevent her achieving this life long ambition but she refused to give in and managed to lead a group trip to visit 'Our Chalet', a Guide training centre in Switzerland, and hurtled down a mountain on a toboggan, such is her courage.

Moreen Bell, Division Commissioner for Epping Forest South paid tribute to Katherine's fortitude and praised her achievement and a toast was proposed by Councillor Brian Sandler.

Katherine continues to run the Guide Unit at St Winifred's, is Assistant at St Elisabeth's Guides, and secretary for the Division. She is busy organising a skiing trip to Italy next February for a group of older Guides and leaders. not bad for a young woman still fighting cancer!!!!

Moreen Bell says, "We are always on the lookout for new leaders for all sections of Guiding from the Rainbows aged 5 years, Brownies aged 7 to 10 years and Guides from 10 to 14 years. Full training and support is given and no previous experience within Guiding is necessary."

For more information, please contact Mrs Moreen Bell on 020 8504 8447.