Guide leader sets sail for big adventure

12:41pm Tuesday 8th April 2008

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AN adventurer will take a voyage into the unknown to mark 100 years of the Girl Guides movement.

Jane Flegg, of the 6th Immanuel Girl Guides, Oswaldtwistle, is one of 50 guides in the country chosen to take part in a tall ship sailing race from Liverpool to Norway on July 21.

The 22-year-old will be part of the first ever all-female crew to sail one of the vessels.

Guides celebrate their centenary in 2010 and the race is the first of many events planned in the build-up.

"I've never sailed before so it's going to be a challenge," said Jane.

"We've had training weekends in Liverpool and London where we learned what we're going to do on the ship, like climbing the mast in the middle of the sea!

"We'll be working four hours at a time, which will mean working through the night which means we will be having sleep at strange times."

The former Rhyddings High School pupil joined the brownies as a seven-year-old and is now a guide leader.

Jane has raised the £1,750 for the trip thanks to generous donations.

Acc-rington Lions volunteer group of which she is a member, gave £500.

A further £600 was raised by an event at Stanhill Working Men's Club organised by Helen and Geoff Plummer.

Also, St Andrew's C of E Primary in Oswaldtwistle and St Oswald's RC Primary in Fern Gore, Accrington, gave Jane some of the proceeds from their fairs.

Jane will finish training as a PE teacher at Liverpool John Moores University in four weeks' time.

She has represented local clubs in netball, cricket and hockey and in 2002 she carried the baton for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

So it is hardly surprising her hopes for the event in July are those of a typical sportswoman.

"I'm not nervous. I just want to do well and win the race."