THE 1st Sidmouth Guides has celebrated a double delight – including one youngster securing a rare accolade.

Sidmouth Herald: Kate Hamilton, received a ‘Going Away’ certificate and badge from Helen Kingdon, residential advisor for Honiton Guide Division.Kate Hamilton, received a ‘Going Away’ certificate and badge from Helen Kingdon, residential advisor for Honiton Guide Division. (Image: Archant)

Lucy Beard, 14, landed the Baden-Powell Challenge Award, the highest honour a guide can achieve.

Sidmouth Herald: Lucy Beard, 14, is pesented with a celebratory cake after landing a Baden Powell certificate and badgeLucy Beard, 14, is pesented with a celebratory cake after landing a Baden Powell certificate and badge (Image: Archant)

And that good news was complemented by the fact that assistant leader, Kate Hamilton, received a ‘Going Away’ certificate.

The Going Away scheme is a resource for all adults within guiding who have completed the leadership qualification and wish to be able to take their girls away on residential trips.

Kate has been working towards the qualification over the past year.

She toasted the achievement by taking 20 1st and 2nd Sidmouth Guides to St Georges House in North Devon for the weekend of July 4 - 6.

Girls tackled several new challenges including surfing and abseiling.

The weekend also saw Lucy presented with her Baden Powell certificate and badge, highlighting her commitment to guiding, and a celebration cake.

Lucy is the first in the district to have been handed the award for quite some time.

Girl Guiding is for girls aged from 10 – 14 and the group meets on Thursday evenings during term time. For more information email firstsidmouthguides@gmail.com, for Sidmouth, or secondsidmouthguides@hotmail.com, for the Newton Poppleford.