Page 3 Profile: Margaret Rigby, girl guide

Margaret Rigby, girl guide (Guzelian)

Dib dib dib Dob dob dob!

That’s something Margaret Rigby has probably said a fair few times. The 99-year-old from Chorley, Lancashire has been a Girl Guide for 86 years, starting when she was 13.

She must have earned a fair few patches.

Mrs Rigby has enough outdoors skills to rival Ray Mears. She can cook and light a fire, but she says that camping is her favourite thing to do. She’s now moving on to arguably greater accolades as she will be awarded a BME medal at Buckingham Palace shortly after her 100th birthday in June. The pensioner was the oldest person named in the New Year Honours list.

She must have worked hard

Her relentless commitment to Girl Guiding will make even the most active person feel guilty, not least her work during the Second World War. Mrs Rigby and her group gave a hand by collecting newspapers and jam jars the army needed at the time.

Has she risen up the ranks in her 86 years?

She is now part of the Trefoil Guild, the adult Girl Guide group that supports the movement. 86 years after joining, her enthusiasm hasn’t waned. Mrs Rigby said she would recommend guiding to all young girls “because you do so much” and “there is so much to learn”. Surely, there can’t be many members better suited to advising younger Guides.