Wandsworth girl guiding trio among latest Jack Petchey award winners

A total of 28 young people from schools and colleges in Wandsworth received prestigious awards at Lambeth Assembly Hall in recognition of their contributions to their schools or clubs.

Winners received medallions and framed certificates from the Jack Petchey Foundation, along with a £300 grant for them to spend to benefit their school, college or youth group.

Six adults were also awarded Leader Awards for demonstrating outstanding ability to motivate young people. They each received a medallion and a framed certificate.

The Jack Petchey Foundation has invested over £1.3m in Wandsworth since funding started.

Among the inspiring winners were Eleanor Whittle, 12, who attends the 6th Clapham Guides.

Eleanor won the Jack Petchey Achievement Award for her significant commitment to Guides and her positive impact to the unit over the past eight years.

Since joining at the age of five, Eleanor has gone on to earn her Rainbow and Brownie Gold awards and is on track for her Guide Gold. She has always played a full role in meetings and recently attended Brownie Holiday as a Guide helper, where she was a massive help to the leaders and a role model to the younger girls.

On winning the award, Eleanor said: “It was an honour to be considered, let alone win an award.”

Eleanor decided to spend her £300 Jack Petchey Achievement Award Grant on waterproof trousers for the unit for outdoor activities.

Another recipient was Cicely Davies, 15, who attends 1st Battersea Rangers. Cicely is said to have become a great helper when setting up or clearing away activities, and always aims to get fully immersed in the activity for the session, as well as providing creative and constructive ideas for what to do at future sessions.

Cicely “brings out the best in others” said her nominees.

Cicely decided to spend her £300 Jack Petchey Achievement Award Grant on outing with the unit at Oxygen Croydon.

Martha Jackson, 15, attends Streatham Rangers. She has been a girl guiding member for almost half of her life. She has been feted for her “joyful and welcoming presence, bringing a sense of fun to everything the unit does.

Martha decided to spend her £300 grant on an outing to Thorpe Park with her unit.

Since Sir Jack Petchey CBE set up the Foundation in 1999 to inspire, motive and celebrate the achievements of young people, over £180m has been invested in our programmes across London and Essex.

This investment has directly benefitted over 1.3 million young people and thousands more have benefitted indirectly from our work.

Pictured top: Eleanor Whittle proudly shows off her medal (Picture: Jack Petchey Awards)