A GLOBE-trotting Fermanagh woman will help shape the future of the Girlguiding movement across the UK after being appointed as the charity’s new Chair of the Board of Trustees.

Catherine Irwin, who works as a Global Integrated Operations leader for the international manufacturing company DuPont, started her term of office at the beginning of this month.

Catherine is a keen Girlguiding volunteer and a Queen’s Guide – the highest award given in guiding.

Over the years of her involvement with the charity, she has represented Girlguiding not only in the UK as a local volunteer, commissioner, and trustee but on the international stage, acting as a delegate for the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts conferences in Hong Kong and India.

A long-time member, she remembers ‘counting the hours’ until she turned nine and was able to join 1st Monea Guides.

Catherine maintained her association with the movement while at Queen’s University in Belfast, and after finishing college she served as a Guider in Limavady.

Following her return to her native county, and after a short break when her children were small, she went back to Monea guides as a Guider.

She has previously served as County Commissioner of Girlguiding Fermanagh.

Catherine began her career at DuPont as an electrical engineer, before moving into engineering leadership roles in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Her current role is in Corporate Operations, providing global strategic leadership for reliability and maintenance.

She is a chartered electrical engineer with a postgraduate award in business administration and professional Health and Safety qualifications.

Catherine said: “I’m passionately committed to providing inclusive and collaborative leadership so that Girlguiding is enabled to be our best. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues across this incredible organisation to ensure that every girl can benefit from what Girlguiding has to offer.”

The role of Chair of the board was previously part of the responsibility of the Chief Guide, who is the most senior volunteer in Girlguiding.

The role was split following a consultation last year to allow the new Chief Guide, Amanda Medler, to focus on operational matters and volunteer support, while the Chair of the board will ensure strong strategic leadership and governance.

Chief Guide Amanda said: “I’m really looking forward to working closely with Catherine at Girlguiding. Catherine is bringing a wealth of skills and experience to the table, both personally and professionally.

“We know that she’ll continue to help Girlguiding flourish in its work to bring adventure, empowerment and life-changing experiences to hundreds of thousands of girls and young women.”

Catherine will lead a board of up to 15 trustees, who all work voluntarily to direct and scrutinise Girlguiding’s work and ensure it operates within its charitable objectives.

The trustees serve a term of three years, and support a team of over 100,000 Girlguiding volunteers and 200 paid staff members.

Catherine takes on her role at an exciting time for Girlguiding. Its 500,000 members are set to benefit from an ambitious new programme which includes hundreds of new activities, badges, and resources to empower girls and young women to thrive in 2018 and beyond.

The new programme will launch in Summer.