Guides Mia and Niamh are true trail blazers

WHEN it comes to trail blazers then Mia Normoyle O’Sullivan and Niamh McFall would certainly top the list.

They duo are members of the Ardilaun Guide Unit in Macroom and were recently presented with the Trail Blazer Award at the National Guide Award Ceremony at Croke Park.

The Trail Blazer is the highest award that can be achieved by Guides and the Guides have been working toward this for the past four years, achieving all other awards along the way.

Challenges which the Guides completed included many outdoor activities such as day and night hikes, outdoor cookery, kayaking, attending many camps, specifically IGGNITE 2017, the International Camp in Ireland, and travelling to Denmark this year as part of the Irish Girl Guides contingent to a camp with the Danish Green Guides.

This camp was a partnership between the two organisations, which included a three day social entrepreneurship project, planned and executed by the Guides in their patrols in the town of Veijle. They did large scale pioneering projects, night escapades in the woods, learning some Danish expressions and had a visit to Copenhagen and Legoland. They even taught a jig or two to the Danish guides.

The Irish contingent are expecting a return visit from the Danish Guides in the next two years.

Meanwhile, the Guides painted a mural on the wall of their hall and this is the basis for a photographic display of all the members of Macroom Guiding.

Some of the many activities that Mia and Niamh partook in during their time in Guides were survival skills, first aid, fund raising for various charities, international Guiding competitions, the Free Being Me project as well as being responsible for their patrols for the past two years.

All these activities contributed to the personal development and leadership skills that Mia and Niamh achieved as they join the list of over 30 Ardilaun Guides who have achieved this Award.