Fiona is a Guiding light to town’s lassies

Fiona Henderson, 54, started off as a Guides volunteer at 18 and took over her first Brownies unit in 1984.

Her career has been interrupted by a break in service through the years but she also enjoyed a stint as commissioner for the Kelso district, a role she reprised later when the town unit amalgamated with Morebattle and Yetholm.

She took over 1st Kelso Brownies unit nine years ago and was also county commissioner for Roxburghshire from 2014 to 2019.

Her devotion and dedication has just been rewarded with a 30-year Girl Guides long service award.

Fiona, a democratic services officer with Scottish Borders Council, said: “I was a Brownie, then I was a Guide and then I was a Ranger and then I was asked to go along and help with the Guides Unit and I ended up taking over the unit.

“I have also been trying to start up a Ranger Unit for our 14 to 16 years old. I love the fact that you get the Brownies at seven and have them, hopefully, for three years and you see them develop and grow. They may be shy when they come through the door and you give them loads of experiences, they do their badges and take them on holidays when some of them have never been away from their parents before.”

Fiona revealed that her devotion to girlguiding has become a family affair.

She added: “My daughter Naomi is studying law in Aberdeen and my son Struan is studying English with film and visual culture, also at Aberdeen. My daughter is also a qualified leader, she has come through the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and she is now helping me with my unit because we are doing it on zoom.

“Struan has been involved in the Scouts, so he did the Beavers and the adventure scouts. If you spoke to my husband he’d tell you that on one of our first dates he was given the slop pit for the latrines at our Guides camp, so it is very much a family affair.”