Report from Brenda Hewitt

When Caz Sumner, guide leader of the 4th Ormskirk Guides, set her group the ‘grow your own £1 challenge badge’, she did not expect 11-year-old Maya Hewitt to go to the lengths she did.

Each guide was given £1 and the challenge was to raise funds, in whatever way they chose, and the money would be put towards purchasing new smaller tents for camping,

Firstly, Maya spent 55p on a second class stamp and wrote a letter to the Ormskirk Ladies Group telling them all about her challenge for the Guides and asking if they could help by giving a small donation. The Ladies Group were very impressed with Maya’s letter and only too pleased to send her a cheque for £50.



Next, during the February half term holidays, Maya spent a lot of her time making a large selection of colourful bookmarks. She used a variety of wrapping paper, cardboard and embroidery silks acquired from her grandparents and home; spending her remaining 45p on stickers to use for decoration; the Ormskirk Ladies Group heard about the bookmarks Maya had made and offered to sell them at their meeting; which raised a remarkable £29.

Back at school after half term, Maya, a year six pupil at West End School, asked headteacher, Mr Clarke, if she could sell her 50p bookmarks in school on World Book Day. This she did and she raised a further £23.50.

At a recent Guide meeting Maya proudly presented a delighted Caz with the money she had raised; in total a remarkable £102.50.

On becoming a Guide earlier this year, Maya said: “I promise that I will do my best” – well Maya you have certainly done just that. Well done!