Westgate House resident Barbara Keep contributed to one of Girlguiding’s biggest ever events, by reading a bedtime story for 21,000 girls and leaders taking part in the Anglia region’s Pyjama Party on World Thinking Day. 

Barbara’s extraordinary lifelong commitment to Girlguiding began when she joined the Brownies at just seven years old. She progressed to Guides and Rangers before taking on leadership roles as Brown Owl and head of the local youth group. Her passion for mentoring young girls and fostering leadership skills has left a lasting impact on generations of Girlguiding members.

With an impressive service spanning over 46 years, Barbara has received multiple prestigious accolades celebrating her outstanding contributions, including a Long Service Award certificate in 1994 and the esteemed Laurel Award—one of Girlguiding’s highest honours.

Reflecting on her experiences on the occasion of Girlguiding’s World Thinking Day, Barbara fondly recalls some of her most cherished moments. Among them was the honour of supervising girls from across England on a trip to the first-ever Jamboree held in Denmark. Another unforgettable moment took place at Girlguiding Headquarters when, to her surprise, Princess Margaret walked in. Barbara’s royal encounters didn’t end there—she later had the privilege of sharing tea with Princess Margaret and coffee with Princess Benedikte of Denmark. One of her proudest achievements was representing Oxfordshire at a Buckingham Palace garden party, where she delighted in the fact that she could attend in uniform rather than having to purchase a formal outfit.

Barbara’s deep-rooted passion for Girlguiding also inspired her to combine her research skills with her love for the organisation. Her book, 100 Years of Girlguiding White Horse Division, chronicles the history of Girlguiding from 1910 to 2010. A labour of love that took nearly two years to complete, Barbara admits it almost didn’t see the light of day. “It nearly went in the dustbin several times as I got fed up,” she says. “But I had so many of my own memories, plus stories and photos from others, I simply had to put this all down on paper for others to enjoy and learn from.” The book has sold over 400 copies and remains available on Amazon.

Alongside Girlguiding, Barbara enjoyed a distinguished career as a scientific researcher at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire.