THE leader of a Girl Guides group in Malvern and Upton will travel to America to celebrate the centenary of the movement.

Jayne Power, aged 44, who is in the first year of a Youth and Communities Services degree at the University of Worcester, will lead 30 Girl Guides from all over the UK at the event, which takes place in New York City in December.

She said: “It is a real privilege to lead one of the first international opportunities to celebrate the centenary. This is will be a fantastic experience for the young women participants. Arranging the trip of a lifetime, visiting all of the city’s cultural and historic landmarks and attractions including the headquarters of the Girl Scouts of America, United Nations and Ground Zero will also be excellent for my own professional development.”

Mrs Power has been involved with the Girl Guides for over 10 years and leads the 14-25 year-old senior section of the Malvern and Upton-upon-Severn Guides as well as working with disaffected and vulnerable students at Hanley Castle High School.

She was awarded £250 towards the cost of the trip by the University’s Scholarship Panel.

She added: “I hope to combine my degree course and my work at the high school with the voluntary work I do for the Guides.”