A HOSPITAL pharmacist from Basingstoke is looking forward to celebrating achieving the top Girlguiding award at the youth organisation’s upcoming celebration event. 

Maria Glover, 26, who earned her prestigious Queen’s Guide award, will join hundreds of fellow Girlguiding award recipients at an event in London’s West End on Saturday, November 25. 

She was one of the last people to complete her Queen’s Guide award, the highest award in Guiding during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

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Maria, unit leader for 2nd Oakley Guides in Basingstoke, said: “Achieving my Queen’s Guide award was a very proud moment — a lot of hard work finally coming together.

“I feel very lucky to have met some of the most amazing, inspirational people during my Queen’s Guide award, and am very proud of what I have achieved alongside work and university.”

Maria’s mum convinced her to join Girlguiding at age eight and she has never wanted to leave. From Brownies she went on to Guides and then Rangers; not wanting to give up Guides she stayed on as a volunteer and then, after helping out at Brownies too, began her leadership qualification.

Having moved all over the country, first for university and then for work, volunteering for Girlguiding has provided welcome stability for Maria.

She said: “Guiding has been a constant in my life, it’s been there for me when I’ve been new to an area and don't know anyone. I absolutely love it and all the adventures we get to go on. It’s really great seeing the impact you can have on the girls.

“I’ve met some of my closest friends through guiding and it has completely defined who I am.

“It has helped me develop confidence, leadership skills and teamwork. I took a year out during covid and missed it so much!”

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Completing the Queen’s Guide award involves undertaking a community action project, which with Maria’s busy work and guiding schedule proved difficult initially.

However, an opportunity for Maria to deliver period products to those in need with a local charity, All Yours, soon provided the perfect solution.

Maria was shocked to learn about the scale of period poverty both locally and internationally. She wrote 5,000-word essay on the topic and presented it to fellow pharmacists who were keen to learn more about the issue.

Lucy Rayden, district commissioner for Basingstoke West, said: “Maria is a fantastic member of our guiding district, she is supportive to other leaders as well as bringing her own leadership knowledge to the team.  Maria loves an outing or a trip, especially being at camp with a fire!  Her commitment to Girlguiding is an inspiration to our young members.”