Brownies fight to keep 'too old' leader

A Brownie pack is fighting to keep its leader after Girl Guide chiefs ordered her to quit her voluntary post for being too old.

Bridget Stevenson, "Brown Owl" to the 15th Hammersmith Pack, was told to step down after 20 years' service when she turned 65 last month.

The brownies, aged seven to 10, and their parents have protested outside the association's head office. The pack will have to close if a replacement cannot be found.

Mrs Stevenson, a grandmother of four, said: "I don't feel old. I keep fit. I still work. With such a shortage of volunteers, you would think Girl Guiding UK would want to hold onto people like me."

Fiona Todorova, 43, whose daughters, Bryony, 10, and Freya, eight, belong to the pack, said: "Bridget is incredibly committed and the children adore her. She's more fit than lots of people my age."

Andrew Harrop, head of policy for charity Age Concern and Help the Aged, said: "Judgments about the suitability of volunteers should be based on people's individual merits not their date of birth."

A Girlguiding UK spokesman said it was reviewing its retirement policy.