Girl guides Evelyn Lynch, Nyssa Hoare achieve Junior BP, BP Awards

Junior Guide Evelyn (Evie) Lynch, 8, was awarded a Junior BP Award and Richmond Senior Guide Nyssa Hoare, 14, was awarded a BP Award, on October 23.

Leanne Perceval, Junior Girl Guide Leader at Richmond District Girl Guides and mum of Nyssa, said the awards are "peak achievement awards for girl guides" and the girl guide "puts in a lot of work in order to achieve the challenges required to complete the award".

The BP awards were named after the founder of scouts and girl guides, Robert Baden Powell. The Junior BP is for girls in junior guides (previously known as Brownies, aged seven and over) and the BP is for the older girls (10 years and over) in Guides and Senior Guides.

Ms Perceval said: "Both Badge Awards are quite challenging so not all girls attempt them."

Evie lives in Pitt Town and attends Santa Sophia Catholic College. She completed six fundamentals and 12 challenges in order to achieve her Junior BP, including Promise and Law, Service, and Outdoors activities.

One of the service activities Evie undertook was collecting bread tags for Aussie Bread Tags which uses them towards making wheelchairs for those in need in South Africa.

Ms Perceval said: "Evie has gone above and beyond being a junior guide. To me she is everything a girl guide is about. She is always one of the first to put her hand up to volunteer and to also take it upon herself to help before being asked.

"Evie's dedication and effort has inspired others to reach similar goals as we now have another five junior guides starting their Junior BP, after watching Evie complete hers. I look forward to seeing what Evie will achieve in the future."

Nyssa, a Hawkesbury High School student from North Richmond, holds the role of Junior Leader and assists with running the Junior Unit.

To achieve her BP Award, Nyssa was tasked with completing six fundamentals as well as 18 challenges. One of the challenges she completed was interviewing Chesne Jones, a retired guide and leader about her life in guiding over the years, and presenting her findings to the group's 60th anniversary event.

Nyssa's leader, Katie Boyton, said: "Its been a pleasure watching Nyssa complete her BP with us. She's worked hard to complete it and is very enthusiastic. She stepped out of her comfort zone with public speaking and her confidence has grown. I look forward to watching her continue her guiding journey.

The girls will be presented with their badges on November 15 during the guide's Promise Ceremony.