New badge designed by girl guides and police
POLICE in Hinckley have been working with girlguiding groups to design a new badge to raise awareness of dementia to young people.
Brownies, guides, rainbows and their leaders in the borough have the chance to earn the new badge if they complete a number of challenges to test their memory and learn more about the illness.
The idea came after PCSO Julie Hodgkinson visited the seventh Hinckley URC Brownies for a presenta- tion evening where youngsters were awarded a challenge badge for completing a series of tasks.
PCSO Hodgkinson then worked with girlguiding in Hinckley and a dementia group to develop the new badge.
She said: “As a child I enjoyed my time as part of the Barwell brownie group and had the idea of creating a dementia awareness badge after visiting a local unit.
“I also had a friend who was affected by the illness and I wanted to do something in her memory.”
Carol Lynch, division commissioner of girlguiding Hinckley, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Julie to create this challenge badge.
“With a local membership of almost 1,000, many young girls will gain an understanding of dementia through this fun badge.”
To help support the launch of the badge, Police Mutual, a society supporting officers, donated £500.