FIVE Guides from Landford have become the first in the group in 40 years to earn the highest accolade a Guide.

Ellie Sutherland, Imogen Fletcher, Beth Groyer, Zoe Racer, and Elle Vince, all 15, have gained the Baden Powell Award, which saw them organise and take part in ten projects looking at global awareness, healthy lifestyles, learning new skills and celebrating diversity.

Elle said: “I organised a disability awareness evening for the rest of the group, introducing blindfolds to heighten their sensitivity of touch and sticks to walk a course I had laid out.”

The Guides also sampled sign language and felt sheets of Braille messages before sitting on their hands and placing pens between their toes for an art lesson.

The award has seen the girls learn the value of team work, brush up on their organisational skills and camp at the county guide headquarters in Berwick St James.

District commissioner Chris Ellis presented the girls with their awards, and said: “We are really proud of them; they have done an enormous amount of work to get results and achieve their goals.”