Queens Guide: Amanda Hickey – Orpington Division

Having my school children in India line up to touch my feet for respect and laughing so hard my sides hurt on an open top bus in the Isles of Wight. These are just two of the many amazing experience The Queen’s Guide Award, an equivalent to the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, has given me. ‘Community Action’ and ‘Service in Guiding’ are titles for just two of the five sections of the highest award in guiding. Each section has given me challenges, help me gain skills and improve old ones not to mention many amazing experiences and memories. The award has taken me to India to visit and live, it has got me learning a language I thought I’d never be able to pronounce- Welsh, talking with people from around the world about world issues and much more. GirlguidingUK has given me so many opportunities and experiences, not just through this award. I would thoroughly recommend it to any girl or woman who wants to get more out of life.