Laura Cottey, the Chief Commissioner for Girlguiding South West England, has been recognised by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort as part of the official Coronation celebrations in conjunction with Royal Voluntary Service.
Laura has been recognised for her contribution and crowned a Coronation Champion. This follows a call out to the nation to nominate their volunteer heroes who are going the extra mile. Almost 5000 entries were received, with nominations made for individuals aged 14 up to 103 across eight award categories. The Coronation Champions Awards invited people across the UK to nominate their local volunteering heroes who are going the extra mile.
Laura impressed judges with her commitment and dedication to the charity alongside juggling her job in the Royal Navy, being a Phd student, volunteering at Salisbury District Hospital and looking after her young child.
As the movement's most senior lead volunteer, Laura leads over 45,000 girls and over 11,000 volunteers.
From leading on a national step-by-step guide to getting back to guiding after the pandemic which supported adult volunteers to minimise losses, driving the strategic direction of the region in exceptional experiences and youth participation, to developing our 18-30 age group into new region leads.
All Coronation Champions, including Laura, have been invited to attend one of the official Coronation celebrations, such as the Windsor Castle Coronation Concert or a Coronation Garden Party. They will also receive a specially designed official Coronation Champions pin and a certificate signed by Their Majesties.
Commenting on becoming a Coronation Champion, Laura Cottey said, “I am delighted to have been named a Coronation Champion for my role as a volunteer and Chief Commissioner for Girlguiding South West England.
"I have had the privilege of volunteering alongside some incredible people during my time in Girlguiding all working so hard in their local communities to support and empower girls and young women.
"Volunteering has given me some amazing opportunities and experiences, and I encourage anyone thinking about it to take that first step and find out more about volunteering today”.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said: “We were completely blown away by the response to the Community Champions Awards and the huge volume of amazing nominees put forward.
Our judges had a tough job selecting just 500 Champions from an array of thousands of inspirational individuals, who all deserve to be recognised and commended. “
“Each of our Coronation Champions displayed a commitment and contribution that far exceeds any expectation, and we’re overjoyed to honour and thank them during this exciting point in history.”
Those feeling inspired to try volunteering themselves are encouraged to take part in The Big Help Out on Monday, 8th May.
The Big Help Out is another official Coronation project aiming to encourage newcomers to volunteering, bring communities together and create a lasting volunteering legacy from the Coronation weekend. In line with The Big Help Out, Girlguiding South West England has launched their brand new ‘Tri-Guiding Challenge’, designed for the public, to encourage people to volunteer.
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