AN inspirational girl guide volunteer from Old Hall has been recognised for her work to make the programme more inclusive.

Louise Helsby, 24, previously received a Guiding Idol award in 2018 for her inclusion work with members with disabilities and any additional needs.

And she has not stopped there, with her unit receiving another award from the Warrington Disability Partnership for introducing Makaton, a form of sign language, so that pre-verbal members can join in.

In her rainbow unit, which is also based in Old Hall, Louise has effectively supported two young members with disabilities who previously found it difficult to make friends.

Now, both have a group of friends that support them every step of the way.

She has also worked hard to support a member who uses a wheelchair, allowing her to attend the unit without the requirement of her personal assistant for one-to-one support.

“She is able to join in, socialise with the other girls and, most importantly, the other girls are able to meet most of her needs without any adult support,” Louise said.

“We recently held a unit sleepover which she was able to attend, and this was a whole new experience for her.

“She took the whole event in her stride, really came out of her shell and she turned out to be one of the loudest rainbows we have.”

Louise has a real passion to ensure the girl guide programme is accessible to members with additional needs.

She also encourages other leaders to make changes so that more young people can get involved.

“The adaptations should occur so that nobody realises that they have happened,” Louise continued.

“This removes any stigma about a child being different and ensures that they can complete the same activities as others.

“It supports acceptance because the other girls can see that they can participate in activities just as much.”

Julie Walton, region chief commissioner, added: “It’s great to be able to catch up with volunteers and see how far they have come since receiving their award.

“We appreciate all of the hard work and effort they put into girl guiding.

“A simple thank you goes a very long way and gives our volunteers the confidence to go for new roles and embrace their volunteering journey, changing lives along the way.”