Girl Guides Queensland Adult Awards Presentation 2024

Girl Guides Queensland State Commissioner, Mrs Kathryn Pearson; Assistant State Commissioners Ms Amanda Nicholls, Dr Natasha Montesalvo and Ms Susan Haye; CEO Ms Kim Harrington; distinguished guests; awardees; Girl Guides and your supporters, good afternoon.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this afternoon.

I am delighted to welcome Girl Guides Queensland back to Government House for the Annual Adult Awards Presentation. As Patron of Girl Guides Queensland, I am immensely proud to be associated with the work that you do, the outstanding achievements of so many under your banner, and the exceptional people who form your membership and volunteer base.

Adult Awardees this afternoon include recipients who have achieved at the highest of standards, as well as the award finalists from the Girl Scribes, an initiative project that I was thrilled to support, with money raised going to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. I so enjoyed reading the entries exploring fun ‘Under the Queensland Sun’, which shared so much of the wonderful experience that is girl guiding.

Girl Guides Queensland is synonymous with personal skill development. Continuing to grow and learn in a non-competitive environment, girls can face challenges and take risks knowing that they will be well supported by those who wish the very best for them.

Drawing its membership from all walks of life, and through its non-formal educational program, Girl Guides helps mould girls and young women into positive, capable and engaged members of our communities. Many become leaders and utilise their learned skills and confidence gained to assist and guide others to a more fulfilling life.

I can’t help but be amazed at the longevity of the Girl Guides as an organisation that fosters personal change in individuals and in doing so, also fosters change in how our communities function. The flow-on effect of what young women and girls learn in Girl Guides permeates many a stratum of society.

With almost 3,000 Youth Members and 1,000 volunteer Leaders and Adult Members, Girl Guides Queensland continues to flourish. Your success is measured partly by the award recipients here this afternoon who exemplify what citizenship is all about. In learning more about themselves, they have increased their capacity to act in ways that build others up too.

I commend all who volunteer their time so generously to the cause of ‘guiding’. Of course, without you, none of this would be possible.

To those receiving awards this afternoon, well done indeed. You are very deserving of the accolades that have come your way. They have well and truly been earned.

Thank you.