Nominated in the Child Friendly Leeds Awards & Inspirational Woman Community Awards – My ‘Girlguiding’ Experience
Hello my name is Sophie. I am 13 years old and a member of 1st CrossGates and Manston Guides but I am also a pack le
ader with 1st CrossGates Brownies and 3rd CrossGates Rainbows and a Peer Leader with the CrossGates Junior Wardens.
Last year I was shortlisted in the Child Friendly Leeds Awards and this year I was nominated in the Leeds City Council Inspirational Woman on the Community Awards for the work I do with Guiding. I was really shocked about this as it’s just something I love doing and wish more would get involved in Guiding both as a volunteer but also as a girl as it offers so many opportunities to everyone.
With the Rainbows and Brownies I help plan the sessions with Jean the Leader and also take on some responsibility of running sessions for the girls in the unit. It is so much fun as you can see the girls change. Our youngest are five years old in Rainbows and I have seen them go into Brownies and change totally from shy to confident and outgoing. The more I enjoy myself and the more confident I become I can see the girls grow and become confident within themselves and wanting to do what I do which is great.
The Junior Wardens have been going for a year now at CrossGates Primary with 12 youngsters and I am the Peer Leader. I am helping them to see how they can make a difference to the community of CrossGates through different activities. 
I have helped to organise workshops on Dementia, local politics, community involvement and housing whilst running community clean ups in the area.
I am also a member of the CrossGates and Swarcliffe community forums where I get to talk about what we do in Guiding and put a young person’s view forward on a topic.
Why not get involved in Guiding and make a difference.
Visit girlguiding.org.uk/joinus
To feature in our next blog or share a story with us, please email childfriendlyleeds@leeds.gov.uk
