A GUIDE leader has received the charity's highest award after completing a range of personal challenges, taking three years.

Katie Workman, 24, who is leader at the 3rd Hereford Rangers was presented with the Queen’s Guide Award recently at the the House of Commons.

To receive the honour she had to complete a series of challenges before she turned 26-years-old.

The tasks included: volunteering, social action, developing new skills and travelling to a new place- less than 200 guides complete the award every year.

To achieve the accolade Katie attended an international camp, ran an overseas trip to Gibraltar and helped teenagers with hearing impairments during a camping weekend with activities such as high ropes, zip wiring, paint balling, quad biking and outdoor cooking.

She was given the award by Chief Guide Gill Slocombe and the Guinness World Record holder Sally Kettle, who has twice rowed the Atlantic Ocean.

Katie said: “One of the things I’m most proud of doing for my Queen’s Guide Award was helping to run the trip to Gibraltar.

"It took a year and a half to raise all the funds, plan the trip with leaders and build a team with a group of girls throughout Herefordshire who did not know each other before the trip.”

For more information about how to get involved with Girlguiding, the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk.