After some 15 years, Patricia Partridge has left her post as President of Girlguiding Isle of Wight.
Patricia has moved to the mainland and together with her husband, John, they will be nearer their family and be able to spend more happy moments with their grandchildren.
Patricia has been the President of the local girlguiding group during the terms of 3 different Island Commissioners. Agreeing to become the President when asked to do so by the-then Island Commissioner Deborah Meadows, Patricia continued as President when Janet Lovell took over from Deborah. Following the joint appointment of Shirley Saunders and Lesley Clifford as Island Commissioners in 2014, Patricia continued her role as President until fairly recently.
Although she has now moved away from the Island, Patricia returned for a recent meeting of Girlguiding IW’s Executive Committee where a hamper containing local produce and an Isle of Wight glass piece was presented by Shirley Saunders and Lesley Clifford.
Thanking everyone, Patricia said that she had worked over the years with 3 very different styles of Island Commissioner’s leadership, but all had worked for the benefit of the girls on the Island. There had been several major changes within Girlguiding nationally, but the Island had encompassed the changes.
In thanking all leaders, Executive Committee members and others associated with Girlguiding on the Island, Patricia ended her short speech by saying that Girlguiding gave all its members a moral compass to follow.
Welcoming Girlguiding IW’s new President, Gioia Minghella-Giddens, Patricia and the Island Commissioners said that they hoped Gioia would enjoy her experience within Girlguiding. Having been a Brownie in Ryde it was felt that Gioia was the ideal choice for the post and Shirley Saunders presented Gioia with her President’s Badge.
Gioia said:
“I am thrilled to follow Patricia, who will be a hard act to follow. I have always had a great admiration and respect for Girlguiding. I just want to get stuck in. I’m honoured to accept the role of President.”
As a last duty, Patricia presented Lesley and Shirley with Island Awards which are presented to members who have undertaken extra service to Girlguiding on the Isle of Wight.
