AN Ilkley Ranger has achieved the highest award possible in Girl Guiding.

Naomi Warrenberg of 1st Ilkley Rangers has shown great commitment to her community and Guiding by fulfilling all the challenges of the Queens'

Guide Award. Only 50 such awards are made in the country each year.

The award is based on the concepts of personal challenge and participation and Naomi's choice of activities was quite varied. She helped with Riding for the Disabled at Langbar and worked with young Guides and Brownies at special adventure camps near Clitheroe and Giggleswick.

Presenting Naomi with her silver Queen's Guide brooch and certificate County Commissioner Julie Smith said that to become a Queen's Guide was a great achievement and the confidence gained would stand her in good stead for the rest of her life.

Not only has Naomi worked for this award but she has graduated from Sheffield University this year demonstrating a willingness to work hard to achieve the goals she has set herself.

Naomi said: "Gaining my Queens Guide Award has been an extremely rewarding and thoroughly worthwhile experience. Over the three years, I have learnt so much and gained experiences of things I probably would not have done if I hadn’t been working towards this award.

"My favourite parts of the award were volunteering at Rainbows as I enjoyed the responsibility it gave me, learning to knit as part of my personal skill development as it enabled me to be creative, and volunteering at national guiding camps as it allowed me to meet so many new people, many of whom I still keep in touch with today.

"I would have to say that the most challenging aspects of the award were the outdoor challenge for which I used Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and the community action section as it required 12 months of perseverance and dedication to complete.

"At times I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete the award, however the support from Karen and Sue Hart throughout enabled me to finish. For example they found camps for me to volunteer at and emailed me to remind me I still had sections to complete gave me the encouragement I needed to complete the award.

"I am so glad that I have gained the Queens Guide Award, through which I have been able to gain loads of valuable skills and knowledge."