Guides put plight of the world's poor in the picture
Winning entries to a national photo competition for Girl Guides will be showcased at top London venue, The Association of Photographers Gallery.
More than 5,000 girls have taken part in "Take a photo, Make a Difference". The project is being run by Girlguiding UK and children's charity Plan UK to highlight the plight of the world's poorest girls. The project was part of Girlguiding UK: Changing the World, a year long community action project with 19 partner charities celebrating the run-up to Girlguiding UK's Centenary.
Marie Staunton from Plan UK said: "We are delighted to partner with Girlguiding UK to celebrate their centenary year with a photography project that helps to promote the rights of girls in some of the world's poorest countries as well as helping them to lift themselves out of poverty."
Exhibitions across the country
Girlguiding UK members across the country arranged local exhibitions of their own photographic work to highlight the issues that girls face in developing countries such as a lack of schooling and proper nutrition. They also looked at the freedoms and rights that they take for granted in the UK.
Georgina Carrington, 15, who posed for a photo and took part in a local exhibition said: "The best bit about putting on the exhibition was the mayor coming to view our photos and signing a Plan pledge card, and getting letters of support from our MP and the Queen!"
An entry fee for their local exhibitions and other fundraising activities helped raise funds to support girls' education in Liberia.
A panel of professional photographers and youth advisers have now selected their favourite entries to be displayed in the national exhibition at the AOP Gallery in October.
Rainbows 1st Prize - Holding Hands, 32nd All Saints Rainbows, lead by Angela Brett 2nd Prize – Girls just want to have fun! 9th Preston Rainbows, lead by Clare Moran 3rd Prize – Our Feet, 1st Arabian Ranches Rainbows, lead by Nicki Beer
Brownies 1st Prize – Because I am a Girl Triptych, 3rd Upholland Brownies, lead by Laura Lovell 2nd Prize – I’d miss the rain, 3rd Crowthorne Brownies, lead by Louisa Brogden 3rd Prize – We love to play in the snow, 1st Pucklechurch Brownies, by Ella & Adelle, 8
Guides 1st Prize – Gone with the Tide, 1st Gayton Guides, by Charlotte, 11 2nd Prize - Sunburst, 1st East Bierley Guides, by Amy, 13 3rd Prize – 5th Harpenden Guides, by Jodie, 14
Senior Section 1st Prize - Isolation, 1st Oxley Park Senior Section, by Rachel Hibbard, 22 2nd Prize – Beyond the fence, Grange & Cartmel Senior Section, by Rebecca Daley & Sian Cowton-Williams, 16 3rd Prize – Analise, 1st Farcet Senior Section, Unit collaboration, 15 & 16
Winning entries to a national photo competition for Girl Guides will be showcased at top London venue, The Association of Photographers Gallery.
