Congratulations to our Coronation Champions
Lots of our volunteers were awarded for their hard work
Girlguiding volunteers have been among those recognised for their outstanding volunteer work by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
Led by Queen Camilla, the Royal Voluntary Service has recognised 500 outstanding volunteers from across the UK with a Coronation Champion Award.
The awards celebrate and recognise the work of volunteers around the country, and formed a key part of the coronation celebrations for the King.
‘I was thrilled to be chosen as a Coronation Champion,’ says Fiona Coverdale from South West England. ‘I cannot really imagine life without all my volunteering – I am currently secretary of Somerset North Trefoil Guild; a unit helper with 16th Bath (Walcot) Rainbows; Girlguiding Bath GO coordinator; Girlguiding Somerset North awards secretary; churchwarden at St Thomas à Becket Church; a member of the Bath foodbank warehouse team and a Royal Voluntary Service volunteer responder.’
It is a real privilege to be honoured in this way but so many of my friends are brilliant volunteers too and I pay tribute to every one of them. – Fiona
Julie Mutton-Hughes
‘I was named a Coronation Champion for volunteering as a NHS responder check in and chat volunteer for the last 3 years, despite shielding more than most of the people I was and am still supporting,’ says leader with 1st Rainham North Rainbows, 6th Rainham North Brownies and 1st Cloud Guides, Julie Mutton-Hughes. Julie is also Kent West County GO coordinator, Kent West county ID verifier, and verifier coordinator.
‘And for Girlguiding, including being one of the leaders who have set up an online Guide unit for girls that cannot attend regular meetings for various reasons.'
Brownie leader Mary Zoeller from Epsom received the award for her work volunteering with Girlguiding and other local charities. Over the past 13 years she’s inspired girls as leader of 1st Ewell Village (St Mary’s), as well as being Epsom division and assistant county commissioner for Surrey East.
‘I’m very shocked but absolutely delighted to be named a Coronation Champion,’ says Mary. ‘In Girlguiding, we all work hard to make a difference to girls and young women’s lives and it’s wonderful when our volunteering efforts are recognised.’
Laura Cottey
South West England chief commissioner Laura Cottey was also named a Coronation Champion.
‘I have had the privilege of volunteering alongside some incredible people during my time in Girlguiding all working so hard in their local communities to support and empower girls and young women,’ she says. ‘Volunteering has given me some amazing opportunities and experiences and I encourage anyone thinking about it to take that first step and find out more about volunteering today.’
Coronation Champion and Renfrewshire county commissioner, Sheila Young, has been part of Girlguiding for 40 years.
It is magical to see girls grow through being part of our organisation and to realise that I have played some small part in their transition. - Sheila
Enid Waterfall MBE
Enid Waterfall MBE from Clwyd county joined Brownies aged 7 and has stayed in the organisation ever since. She helped the county buy Ty Clwyd, a holiday and conference centre for the county and she's also known for hiring two trains to take 1,000 Brownies to see an ice show in London and taking 1,000 Brownies on holiday to Pontins in Prestatyn. She was named a Coronation Champion for her work with charities.
Sally Smith was ‘honoured to be recognised as a Coronation Champion for my voluntary work both within Girlguiding and the wider community’.
I have enjoyed being part of the girls’ guiding experiences as well as supporting the community as a whole. - Sally
Are you a Coronation Champion? Or do you know someone in Girlguiding that was named one? Let us know by emailing [email protected].
