Phyllis thought Palace message about ‘highly confidential information’ was a scam

As a Guide leader and stalwart for more than 53 years, Phyllis took time to think and check it out and, to her surprise, she has been honoured with a British Empire Medal (BEM).

Phyllis put her heart and soul into the Guiding movement in Co Armagh since she was a child.

“I had left London and left many friends. Joining the Guides was a way to make new friends,” said Phyllis, adding that she is a member of St Mark’s Church in Portadown but their Guide unit was full when she moved to Portadown. ”I went with a school friend to her Guide unit in Armagh Road Presbyterian Church and later stayed on as one of the leaders.”

A former pupil at Clounagh Junior High School and Portadown Technical College, Phyllis studied Commercial Studies and spent her career in office work in Portadown and Belfast.

She moved from offices in Portadown to the NI Civil Service where she worked in various departments.

Voluntary work has been all encompassing for Phyllis, and though technically retired, is still involved in the Girl Guide movement.

“I would be very much into the outdoor activities. We managed to get to camp or holiday with the Guides every year. That was when you saw Guides changing from not so sure of themselves to being a lot more confident.

“There’s quite a range of things to do in guiding and it is always changing,” said Phyllis who still keeps in contact with some of the girls who are now adults.

“I have joined the Portadown Trefoil Guild which is ‘Guiding for adults’. We meet once a month. We are like-minded, most of us were in guiding as children some were or still are Leaders with units. We still follow the Girlguiding ethos. We carry out various fun activities from outings, challenges, service in the community and offer a helping hand to units when needed.” said Phyllis.

Although she officially retired five years ago, she has still maintained her connection and passion for the County Guide House in Gosford Forest Park.

Around 50 years ago the Guides came across the house, a former laundry house to Gosford Castle and which had fallen into disrepair. Phyllis explained that they leased the house from the Forestry Service. “When we took it over it was a shell and the Forestry Service was thinking of pulling it down. We asked if we could use it as a holiday house. All the expenses are down to us. We don’t get any financial help from the Forestry other than we paid a very small rent,” explained Phyllis.

The ABC Council have taken a Lease out from the Forestry Service and as the County Guide House falls within the leased area our new lease will be the Councils responsibility.

Now that Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council has taken over responsibility of Gosford Forest Park, Phyllis is hopeful, with the backing of local councillors, that the lease will be extended.

She said that the Guides is a charitable organisation and has availed of grants and fund raising worth around £100k to renovate the house over the past ten years alone.

Phyllis doesn’t know when she will get her honour. “It will probably depend on this COVID situation. I had been told it will be in Hillsborough Castle with the Lord Lieutenant but we can’t say when at this point until things settle down.”

The award came as a huge surprise to Phyllis. “I had stopped running the unit five years ago but I do other county work. I was county treasurer for 25 years and was county activities advisor for ten years and I have been on the Gosford Committee for 50 years.

“We have kept the house standing and given a lot of children a lot of very happy holidays. They loved Gosford to get around exploring,” she said.

Phyllis said she thought the call about the honour was a scam. “It came on my answering machine and I couldn’t make out the name of the person or who or what they were ringing from. I heard ‘highly confidential information’ but that they needed me to contact them with my email address. I thought ‘Oh Yeah’. “I sat over it for a couple of hours and thought, well maybe I should check but it was true. It was a real surprise,” said Phyllis.

With her late husband Robert, who was involved with the Boys Brigade, the couple have supported many young people through voluntary activities.

Of the BEM honour, Phyllis said: “He would have been so proud.”

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