Last updated at 18:29, Friday, 27 November 2009

A senior scientist at Sellafield who is also a former county commissioner for guiding has been named as this year’s Cumbria Woman of the Year.

Debbie Keighley, a senior scientist at Sellafield and a former county commissioner for the Girl Guides

Debbie Keighley was presented with her award at the annual lunch at The Wordsworth Hotel in Grasmere yesterday.

Juliet Westoll, chairwoman of the Cumbria Women of the Year committee, said: “Debbie is enormously respected by her work colleagues as she fulfils a highly demanding full-time job.

“She was the only female in her year reading engineering at university.

“She mentors and develops young scientists and can influence the direction of technology at the Sellafield site.

“She also has outstanding service to the Girl Guide Movement in Cumbria over many years, helping young women to achieve their potential.

“Guiding has become her passion in life and she has served Cumbria as a leader, trainer and for five years a county commissioner for Cumbria North.

“She has also led overseas expeditions and worked to develop the Guide Movement in Eastern Siberia.

“Recently she has been organising the Guides’ centenary celebrations – a very significant event for 2,500 girls and their leaders in 2010.

“The most striking aspect of her leadership style is her supportive manner, her ability to listen and understand, showing emotional maturity.

“She is also a trustee of Young Cumbria.”

The Cumbria Life Lifetime Achievement Award went to Anne Hall, of Coniston, who has been involved with her community for 50 years.

Anne has been involved in all kinds of community life. She has been a parish councillor for 40 years and represents Coniston on South Lakeland Council.

She founded a mother and toddler’s group and has campaigned for affordable housing in the village.

Anne is a longtime supporter of The Ruskin Museum and her boundless energy has seen her doing charity bike rides, walking the Great Wall of China and raising cash for the NSPCC and St Mary’s Hospice in Ulverston.

She also helped Coniston become ‘Village of the Year’ and has instigated the formation of the Coniston in Bloom group.

Mrs Westoll said: “Anne has supported an enormous number of very worth ventures. There is no area of development or enhancement of services that this dynamic, dedicated, caring, proud, lady will not stop at to benefit the community of Coniston.”

This year is very special as the Cumbria Women of the Year awards celebrated its 20th anniversary.

All of the nominees from this year’s event attended the lunch yesterday with money raised going to the Cumbria Community Foundation to help flood victims.

The Cumbria Women of the Year committee raises cash through a countywide raffle which was drawn at the lunch.

Mrs Westoll said: “The variety and scope of nominees never fails to impress us.

“The work that the ladies do is of immense benefit to the people of this county and to choose one to represent all of the ladies nominated is quite a challenge.

“Even in our 20th year, the task doesn’t get any easier.”

Sponsors and supporters of the event include: Carlsberg-Tetley, Cumbria Crystal, University of Cumbria, Grasmere Gingerbread Shop, Cumbria Life and the Wordsworth Hotel.

First published at 14:07, Friday, 27 November 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk