Advisers and Coordinators

I am an Arts Award adviser for Girlguiding Greater Manchester West, I can support leaders who might want to run the Arts Award within their unit. I can assess and advise on all levels of the Arts Award from Discover to Gold. 

If leaders are interested in delivering this programme, I am happy to discuss how it works and what is needed to achieve the Awards.

The Duke of Cornwall Community Safety Award was launched in 2012 in response to significant flooding in Cornwall.

The award aims to educate and train young people to assist before, during, and after a crisis.  It was developed to give young people in the UK an opportunity to learn what to do in an emergency situation, such as severe weather, a pandemic, or a long-term power cut. The community safety award covers parts of the Girlguiding programme, but is also a stand-alone award. It is open to young people between the ages of 5 and 18. 

Girlguiding Inspire is an amazing community of 18 to 30-year-olds within Girlguiding where you can have fun whilst developing yourself with seven different pathways to choose from. You can take part in international events such as the European Jamboree, be a leader in a unit, help make change happen by ensuring your voice is heard or experience events on both a small and large scale.  Charlotte our Inspire Adviser will play a key role in empowering young women across our County to be part of Inspire. she is involved at County and Region level. She looks forward to people getting in touch with her.

Mavis and Mary have enjoyed taking guides on adventures in and out of the unit meeting place for over 50 years between them. They are looking forward to encouraging other guide leaders to develop their units.

As part of the role, they are hoping to encourage leadership teams to work together and support each other across the county. If you would like any help or ideas please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

As leader in trainer coordinator, Ann matches leaders in training with a mentor and also monitors their progress using the online learning platform. It is also part of their role to sign off completion of the leader development programme as well as offering support to both leaders in training and mentors.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor and would like to find out more please, contact me via email below.

I grew up in Durham and I have been a Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Ranger and became a leader while I was at the University of Salford. I have a degree in television and radio production. I went to America for a year as an au pair, while I was over there I set up my own girl scout troop and taught them some of the things we do in Girlguiding in the UK. 

The Public Relations Team is here to help generate a positive image of guiding throughout the County.

Branding and identity – Ensuring that all external and internal communication is branded correctly to conform with Girlguiding guidelines. We are also on hand as a source of advice and support to divisions on branding and design usage/projects.

Press and PR – Support and encourage divisions to help them to promote guiding in their area, gain media coverage and build relationships with the media. Also responsible for developing Greater Manchester West promotional materials and the internal/external communications plan.

If you would like help with Girlguiding branding or designing of posters, badges etc, please contact the team via email

Jenny handles the following aspects of GO for the County:

- Long service award reports,
- Queries over length of service
- Updating qualification and training records (e.g. Going Away With and A Safe Space.)

The County GO coordinator maintains and manages the County's online database of Girlguiding members.

I support the County's new volunteer enquiries through the recruitment process, ensuring DBS and reference checks are completed, whilst also managing and maintaining County waiting lists for girls enquiries, and existing volunteer roles are correct.

I support units through the Annual Subscription and Insurance process, ensuring payment is made by the national deadline.

I support unit leaders with general "how do I?" queries whilst providing reports and statistical analysis for Commissioners

Kate Angel from Urmston division is looking forward to her new role as county archivist. Over the next few weeks, the new email address will be added to this page.

Our County archivist collects and catalogues documents, uniforms, and other memorabilia from all eight districts across the County. We have an impressive collection of items going back over the past 85 years.

My role is to encourage and empower leaders and young members to experience an international adventure. To achieve this, I will: Encourage leaders to complete module 9 and take young members on an international experience. Assist and advise leaders in choosing camps/holidays. Organise international opportunity/selection weekends where members will be chosen for North West Region selection and County international trips. Promote the benefits of overseas travel as well as events happening around the world in guiding which might offer opportunities to our County members.

As I have a tawny Owl Mum, Guiding has always been in my life.  I have volunteered in Sheffield and in GMW since 2009.  I was a Guide leader primarily, but since having my own family, I opened a new Rainbow unit in Hale Barns in 2017.  The change from Guides to Rainbows was a big change, but lots of fun.  

To date, I have been a Guide leader,  district secretary, division secretary, division ID verifier, mentor, and District Commissioner.   All of which have given me a greater appreciation of the team.  

My favourite game is Hedgehogs, and I retook my promise at Blackpool when we completed the Guinness Book of Records challenge of the biggest Cha-Cha slide.

Girlguiding is committed to being an inclusive organization that is accessible to all girls and young women

It's our responsibility to make sure all members - no matter what their identity or background - feel supported and involved in guiding

Use this guidance to include disabled members, those from different socio-economic backgrounds, those with different belief systems, and LGBT members in meetings, activities and events.

Your inclusion advisers are Alison Corser and Margaret Benger

Nationally, Girlguiding has 22.5% of leaders and 10.3% of young members with a disability or long-term condition.  

As someone who needs adjustments considered and adaptations made, I know that I can support leaders, young members, and families to improve access, to feel supported, and included within Girlguiding GMW – and wider.

I was a Brownie, Guide, Ranger (and Cub Instructor), and then became a Leader.  I currently run Brownies and Guides; and now Explorer Scouts as the ESYL (Young Leaders) Scout Leader with Sale District Scouts.  

I am also a Mental Health First Aider (MHFA).

I want to see all members being able to access all the opportunities available to them within Girlguiding.  I managed to attend the last World Scout Jamboree (as a member of GG) in Korea - with a mobility scooter!

Margaret will work with units, leaders and families to support them in their Girlguiding journey.

By completing the Going Away With scheme, you will learn all about the practical elements of planning a residential - from health and safety to maintaining camping equipment. 

This scheme is designed to be as flexible as possible, depending on what kind of trip you're planning with your girls. For example, if you want to take your girls to an accredited activity centre where programme, catering and facilities are already provided, you'll only need the basic Going Away With licence.

The Going Away With licence

The first four modules equip leaders with the Going Away With licence. This qualifies you to take girls away overnight or for two nights or more if programme, catering and facilities are already provided. Modules 1 to 4 cover:

• planning a successful residential event
• administration of a residential event
• managing safety and security away from home
• making health and first aid arrangements.

Linda will match you with a mentor.

In Girlguiding Greater Manchester West we want to thank all our volunteers for their contribution to guiding. The satisfaction of seeing a girl achieve is phenomenal and the difference you make to the lives of many is immense. There are several formal awards that we can present. 

Long service awards are presented at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years service. You can check your record on Go.

There are also County Brooch, Thanks Badge, Good Service, Regional Cheif Commissioner award, Laurel award and Silver Fish

The Guiding Star award is an award for members under 26 who have displayed exceptional courage or shown great initiative or responsibility during an incident

The Queen's Guide Coordinator advises the young women in our County who are working towards their Queen's Guide Award. The Award is open to 16-25 year olds and is the highest award in guiding. Her role also involves raising awareness of the Award and meeting with candidates and mentors to offer advice and support on completing their Awards.

As Girlguiding Greater Manchester West's website adviser, I look after any technical issues with regard to the website, add content and provide training to enable volunteers from across the County to upload news from their divisions.

I have volunteered for Girlguiding Greater Manchester West and am an active member of the Trefoil Guild. My other passion is sailing. If you're interested in joining the website team, please email me through the PR team.

Membership growth coordinator helps in several ways including:

•Be aware of the membership numbers in your area. Look at where your local units are and how many volunteers they have. Be prepared to implement change if this will better serve your district/division.

•Lead on strategies for recruiting more girls and volunteers in your area. Delegate actions to implement these to your team.

•With support from your local team, welcome and induct new volunteers to the area.

If you need help and support please feel free to contact your division membership growth coordinator via you commissioner or email gmwgrowth@gmail.com

Being a representative for Express! can take many different forms. It is an opportunity to bring the voices of the girls from your division or county to the table and have them heard on a wider scale.

This role is for you if you are passionate and enthusiastic about Girlguiding and want to help it grow and adapt.  Express! allows you to connect with new people, challenge yourself and acquire new skills, which will stay with you throughout life. We discuss various issues on a county level and work to address these whilst also having a lot of fun and creating new friendships along the way. If you are interested in joining me, send an email to Laura Keller