Use our formal awards to recognise and celebrate your members and volunteers
At Girlguiding we want to thank all our volunteers for their contribution to guiding - it's an important way to make sure people stay with us.
Awards are a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements of members and recognised volunteers in your team. You can use an award to recognise:
- Commendable conduct
- Outstanding and excellent service
- Long service
Berkshire County Awards
5 and 10 year Long Service awards process
New County Good Service Certificate
Criteria: Recipients may be recommended for this award in recognition of their important contribution to guiding in Berkshire at unit level. The committee are looking for any adult who has achieved something special particularly in relation to membership, retention and/or growth. For example: organising a recruitment activity, supporting another unit in difficult circumstances or working to promote transition between sections. This can also be an award for someone taking on an important support role for a unit.
Nominations: are made by Division Commissioners, District Commissioners or Section Leaders.
Application process: completion of a nomination form and submitted to Chair of County awards by date advised
County Standard Brooch
Criteria: This may be awarded to a Leader within Girlguiding Royal Berkshire. This award is for significant service within the County. It is not dependent upon a County appointment, or more than one appointment having been held. However, the service must be more than merited solely by a number of years. The service should be above and beyond the normal requirements of the appointment.
Nominations: All members are encouraged to make recommendations; however the applications should be submitted by Division Commissioners, District Commissioners or Section Leaders.
Application process: Completion of County Award nomination form and submitted to Chair of County awards by date advised.
Berkshire Stag Award
The Berkshire Stag is the highest Award at County level. It can be worn out of uniform. Additionally it can be worn pinned to Guiding clothing and not just on the tab.
Criteria: This may be awarded to adults who have been involved in Guiding in Berkshire, and is for exemplary service to the County in any capacity, it is not intended to be given solely for service for a period of time.
Nominations: Any adult may make a recommendation in consultation with a Commissioner or Section Leader.
Application process: Completion of County Award nomination form and submitted to Chair of County awards by the date advised bi annually
Young Person Award - Liz Bracewell Award
This award is for a member aged between 14 and 25 years and is awarded annually in the spring. Criteria: The recipient of this award may be recommended: For having sustained involvement in the community; this can be in Guiding or non-Guiding capacity.
Have shown a personal development within her own capability, using social skills and by her own personal achievements.
She should also have played an active role within her unit, District, Division or County programmes. This should be outside her normal involvement within her unit.
Nominations: Nominations should include a brief outline why the person should receive the award. Any adult can nominate a Senior Section member but nominations can also come from her peers.
Application process: Completion of County Award nomination form and submitted to Chair of County awards by date advised bi annually
County Awards Available All Year Round
County Commissioner’s Certificate of Commendation
The Commendation Certificate will be signed by the County Commissioner and will be presented to the person concerned as agreed with the Guiders involved. The County Commissioner will use her own discretion on whether or not the certificate should be awarded.
Criteria: There are occasions when young people and adults involved in Guiding in Berkshire merit recognition for something they have done, or bravery in the face of illness. For exceptional cases, the Association Award of Merit may apply, but for other cases we may wish to make some recognition of a person’s achievement.
This may also be awarded to a Unit, a District or a Division who has demonstrated great commitment to Guiding in their community, or has taken part in a special project to promote Guiding.
Nominations: Requests may be made at any time by anyone.
Application process: Requests for these certificates should be made to the County Commissioner in writing, giving the reasons behind the request. A copy of the request should be given to the local District and Division Commissioner.
Girlguiding Royal Berkshire – County Thanks Badge
The design is a square badge with the wording Girlguiding Royal Berkshire at the top, the Berkshire stag in the middle and Thank you at the bottom. Colour of badge is a light blue.
Criteria: The Award is to recognise the dedication of members and non-members who freely give their time to provide good quality guiding to Girlguiding Royal Berkshire.
It can be given to show appreciation of significant commitment supporting and/or delivering a guiding activity or project that shows the unique quality of this individual.
This is an ideal award for someone who would not otherwise receive a County Award ie. a Treasurer, a Committee member and those who are not a warranted Leader.
Leaders may receive the Award if nominated for significant commitment in another capacity other than their warranted leader role.
Nominations: Requests may be made at any time by anyone.
Application process: The nominations can be submitted to the Chair of the County Awards Committee by the date advised. For nominations outside of the annual Award Meeting, the decision will be at the County Commissioner’s discretion.
Girlguiding South West England Awards
https://www.girlguidingsouthwest.org.uk/useful-downloads.html
Silver Oak Leaf Award
The Silver Oak Leaf will be awarded to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding contribution and commitment that any adult over the age of 18 years has made to the promotion or advancement of Guiding within South West England.
Compass Award
The Girlguiding South West England Compass Award can be gained by any adult member aged 18 years and over. It is awarded to recognise the dedication of our members at local level who give freely of their time on a regular basis to provide good quality guiding to the girls in their unit and local area and to the benefit of the local community.
Young Adult Leaders Award
The Girlguiding South West England Young Adult Leaders Award can be gained by any Leader aged 18 to 30 years who has done something special, something remarkable. The something special or remarkable is wide ranging and will depend on the individual’s circumstances.
Chief Commissioner’s Award
This is a new award replacing the Chief Commissioner’s Certificate of Commendation. This is awarded at the discretion of the Chief Commissioner to a member or non-member of Girlguiding South West England of any age, from Rainbows upwards. The Awards Sub-committee may also recommend a nomination. Letters of application for this award should be sent to the Chief Commissioner, c/o Jenni Freeth. Nominations can be made by any member of Girlguiding, the Trefoil Guild and associated organisations.
Region Thanks Badge
The Region Thanks Badge is awarded by the Chief Commissioner to any adult member or non-member over the age of 18 years who has given service or achieved something special which is worthy of recognition by the Region. The Awards Sub-committee may also recommend a nomination. Letters of application for this award should be sent to the Chief Commissioner, c/o Jenni Freeth. Nominations can be made by any member of Girlguiding, the Trefoil Guild and associated organisations.
Girlguiding Awards
Please follow this link to the Girlguiding website for details of Girlguiding “Thanks & Recognition Awards”
The awards available are:
Thanks Badge
Good Service Brooch
Long Service Awards – 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years’ service
The Guiding Star Award
The Laurel Award
The Silver Fish
National Honours
For information on how to nominate a member for a National Honour please follow this link to download a leaflet from the Region website
http://www.girlguidingsouthwest.org.uk/downloads/National%20Honours%20Leaflet.pdf
How to Apply for a Region Award
The criteria and application packs for the Silver Oak Leaf, Compass and Young Adult Leaders Awards are available to download from the Region website. Further information about the Awards Sub-committee meeting dates and how to nominate someone can be obtained from Jenni Freeth jenni@ggswe.org.uk or Lucy Asher lucy@ggswe.org.uk at the Region office.
https://www.girlguidingsouthwest.org.uk/useful-downloads.html
Letters of application for the Chief Commissioner’s Award and Region Thanks Badge should be sent to the Chief Commissioner c/o Jenni Freeth.