TWO Girlguiding leaders from Kings Worthy have received a prestigious accolade.

Isabelle Haigh and Jo Ashwell are the winners of the Compass Award, presented by South West Region Girlguiding.

They have both volunteered at 1st Kings Worthy Guides for nearly 20 years, meeting each week with their unit of thirty 10 to 14 year olds.

Ms Haigh said: "It is lovely to have been recognised by Girlguiding for our work on the Division shows. Girlguiding brings so much to young people in our area and also brings fun, laughter and friendship for the leaders too".

The "Compass award" is given in recognition to the dedication of Girlguiding members who give their time freely to provide a good quality service.

As well as leading a thriving and successful unit, Jo and Isabelle have directed and produced four large-scale shows in Winchester over the last eight years.

These include namely Annie, Dr Dolittle, Oliver and more recently The Sound of Music.

All children within Winchester Division Girlguiding have been able to take part in these shows, often leading to over 100 children in the cast.

Parents of the girls in these shows often comment on how their daughter's confidence grows, how many new friends they make and the sheer joy of being involved in the team work of a large show.