My Voyage award

I first met Enid in the Spring of 2023 when I was invited to the Hertfordshire Trefoil Guild Annual Meeting. I was there to present three Voyage Awards, one of which was a Bronze for Enid. She had registered for the award in 2014 so it was a pleasant surprise when I received her book for signing off early in 2023. When I discovered that Enid was 94 I really didn’t expect her to continue with the Voyage journey but how wrong can you be?

Whilst sharing tea and cake with the Hertfordshire members Enid sought me out and asked for advice about the challenges that she planned to undertake for her Silver. She explained that her eyesight was failing so that there were
some things that would be impossible for her to do. Between us we came up with five suitable challenges that both fulfilled the requirements of the award and would be possible for Enid to accomplish.

Although it had not been quite a year, the minimum time for completing both Silver and Gold, since she had completed Bronze I received her book with everything signed off by her mentors in November of 2023. In view of her her failing eyesight Enid was keen to get on with her ‘Voyage’ and, in the circumstances, Sheila Leete kindly gave her permission for Enid to move onto Gold. 

2024 was a difficult year for Enid not only with her failing eyesight but she also suffered with her health spending some time in hospital. Nevertheless whenever possible she soldiered on and found challenges that she could tackle by being flexible and thinking outside the box. One of her mentors became her scribe when she was no longer able to write legibly.

I was thrilled when, in the middle of December last year, Enid’s book landed on my doormat. She had easily covered the requirements of each section. I was particularly impressed by Myself and Explore My World where her chosen challenges brought back for many memories of happy times. For Myself Enid wrote her memoir which she entitled ‘Voices in my head’ and she explored her world by revisiting places in her mind that she had enjoyed visiting over her, now, 96 years and found out more about them with online research.

Enid says that it was doing the award that kept her going through what, health wise, was a particularly challenging year. In Enid’s words, “I enjoyed doing it so much! I also learnt a great deal on the way - little details that I shall always remember.”

Enid’s story tells us that it is never too late to take on new challenges however old you are. There are ways to be flexible, think outside the box, adapt the challenges to your needs and you will succeed.

Jean Mullane

Anglia Voyage award coordinator (former)