Celebrating our volunteers all year round

Girlguiding volunteers are amazing.

That’s a fact! And during Volunteers’ Week, it was highlighted more than ever. A huge thank you to all who got involved in the week – we loved hearing what you got up to.

• 3 members across the country shared their volunteering stories with us. Listen to their audiocasts.
• We released a topper activity (PDF, 34.5KB) for girls to create a homemade thank you gift and give it to their leaders.
• Our chief guide team and brand ambassadors shared special thank you messages on social media.

Showing appreciation for our amazing volunteers doesn't end there!

From thank you badges to awards to our annual party, Girlguiding Celebrates, there are all sorts of ways to celebrate Girlguiding volunteers all year round. 

To find out how much recognition from fellow members can mean, take a look at Karen’s story, who volunteers in Essex, and Solange and Hilary’s stories, who both volunteer in Jersey. And if you’re inspired to celebrate an unsung volunteer you know, here’s a reminder of some of the ways you can show your appreciation too.

Karen on being nominated for Girlguiding Celebrates

Karen was nominated to attend Girlguiding Celebrates by a fellow leader. The annual event sees award winners and nominees walk the red carpet like true VIPs, before enjoying a big party with lots of treats and glamorous variety-style entertainment with a Girlguiding twist.

Karen leads 2 Rainbow units based in Essex and has helped grow another Brownie unit in her local area from 8 girls to 30. Not only was she nominated for her amazing recruitment efforts, but she’s also taken on additional responsibility as a mentor for another leader. She helps her with things like parent and carer letters, sharing unit resources, and carves out time to answer any questions related to volunteering with Girlguiding. She does all this on top of her full-time job and working for the local Girlguiding depot!

Watch her story

Solange on being awarded the Silver Fish award

Solange’s amazing guiding journey started at the age of 10 when she joined her local Guide unit. Over the years she’s given a huge amount of her time to giving girls and young women incredible experiences through roles including leading various units, serving as Island Commissioner and Treasurer for Jersey, and becoming chief commissioner for Girlguiding South West England in 2011.

She was nominated for the Silver Fish award in 2023 by some of the volunteers she works with, and attended Girlguiding Celebrates in 2024. The award is Girlguiding's highest honour for exceptional service so only a few awards are given each year.

The Silver Fish award came as a tremendous, but pleasant, surprise to me. I, like so many others, do not volunteer for guiding to gain any personal recognition. I do it because I want to make a difference to the lives of girls and young women and the wider guiding family. I feel that this award is a testament to the various teams that I have been privileged to be part of.'

Watch her story

Hilary on being awarded the Laurel award

Hilary’s Girlguiding journey started when she became a Brownie at 7. She’s currently president of Girlguiding Jersey, chair of awards on the island and a regional vice president for Girlguiding South West England.

In 2020, she was nominated for the Laurel award - another of the highest accolades in Girlguiding that recognises exceptional members who have made an outstanding contribution.

Girlguiding has played a huge part in my life. It’s given me so much fun and friendship. But more than that it’s given me opportunities, life skills, travel opportunities and challenges that I hope I’ve been able to share with both the girls and fellow volunteers.'

Watch her story

Ideas to celebrate an amazing volunteer you know

Thank you badge and gifts

Volunteers’ Week might be over, but it’s never too late to celebrate a volunteer with a thank you gift. You can find the thank you badge and a selection of thank you gifts on our shop to help you celebrate the amazing people in your Girlguiding community. 

And if you’re a leader, there are some more ideas on thanking your volunteers here.

Good service brooch

This brooch can be given to an adult member of Girlguiding for excellent service to guiding, and is available on the Girlguiding online shop. It can be awarded by the chief guide, for service to Girlguiding, a chief commissioner, for service in a country or region and a county commissioner, for service in the county. If you know someone who you feel should be awarded the brooch, speak to your commissioner.

Award nominations

Awards are a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements of your fellow members and volunteers. If you’re a Girlguiding member, you could nominate a volunteer for:

• A Hero award – for members or friends of Girlguiding who have done something special.
• The Laurel award – the second highest award in Girlguiding for members who have gone above and beyond and given an outstanding contribution to Girlguiding with their service.
• The Silver Fish award – the highest honour award for adult volunteers who have had an exceptional impact through lots of different roles across guiding.

Girlguiding Celebrates

Girlguiding Celebrates is a chance for members and parents and carers to nominate incredible volunteers to attend the event for the amazing things they’ve done.

This year’s event is in Manchester in October. While nominations for 2025 are now closed, we’ll be sharing news, updates and incredible guiding stories from the event later in the year. Nominations for 2026 will open in November this year. So keep an eye on our social media and make sure you’re signed up to receive Girlguiding news for details!