General News
13 February, 2023
Top honours for local Guide Hannah
Achieving accolade after accolade, Girl Guide Hannah Lanfranchi has been recognised yet again with a top Guiding award the latest feather in her cap. After receiving the Central Goldfields Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year award in January, Hannah...
Achieving accolade after accolade, Girl Guide Hannah Lanfranchi has been recognised yet again with a top Guiding award the latest feather in her cap.
After receiving the Central Goldfields Shire’s Young Citizen of the Year award in January, Hannah has bagged another achievement — the Highview student was surrounded by friends and family when she was presented with the Queen’s Guide Award last week by the Maryborough Girl Guides.
Recognised internationally, the award is the highest honour one can achieve and work towards as a Guide.
“I’m feeling very good having received this award, a little bit overwhelmed but it’s incredible to have the support of so many people. It’s nice to have them come celebrate with me,” Hannah said.
Starting off the year on a high-note, the 17-year-old said it was uplifting to know that the younger generation was being commended for their efforts.
“Receiving the Young Citizen award was a big surprise but it’s nice to see young people recognised. I love that we can get more people involved in Guiding too,” Hannah said.
“For me the Queen’s Guide Award is about challenging myself and showing young girls that we can do anything we set our minds to.
“Face those challenges and you never know what you can achieve.”
Encouraging her peers to participate in the community, Hannah hopes she can set a good example for them.
“I’m hoping to show the younger students as a school captain that they can get involved in the community and it’s not some big intimidating thing,” she said.
“It’s just taking little steps and doing things that not only make you happy but also make small differences.”
A decade has passed since a Girl Guide from Maryborough last received the award, which makes Hannah’s achievement even more special according to her Guide leader Belinda Pritchard.
“For the award, the girls undertake certain challenges under the fundamental areas of Guiding and Hannah excelled right throughout,” Ms Pritchard said.
“She always aims high and she’s already achieved some amazing things.
“It’s a really important award and employers recognise it too. Not all girls get it because it is hard work and requires commitment, time and the willingness to challenge yourself in multiple areas — the last Queen’s Guide award was given to a girl from Maryborough about 10 years ago.”
Ms Pritchard said that Hannah set an example for other young girls, and urged them to join the town’s Guiding group.
“It could be other girls receiving this someday and we would love to have them come join us. We’d love to nurture and support them through that journey,” she said.
“We think guiding is fantastic and for us as leaders, just to see girls come through and see them increase their confidence gaining life skills is great.
“I’ve had girls that couldn’t light a match that now can light a fire. So it’s about skill development, confidence building and leadership.”