Helen Malcolm

Helen Malcolm (12 February 1873 – 1 May 1934) was a YWCA executive, who was instrumental in developing the YWCA section of the early Girl Guide Association (GGA). She received the Silver Fish Award, the GGA's highest adult honour.

Early life Malcolm was born to General Sir George Malcolm GCB and Wilhelmina Charlotte Hughes. She had two brothers. She spent much of her life in Clevedon, Somerset.

YWCA and the Girl Guides Association Malcolm served as junior editorial secretary of the YWCA which, in the early twentieth century, conducted global research to find those organisations that "gave best results for girls from 13.5 years of age to 19". The research identified the Girl Guides as being "unique in this respect" and the YWCA subsequently became closely involved with the Girl Guide movement in its early years, with Malcolm and Marion Dashwood taking the lead. In 1913 Malcolm was invited to become president of the YWCA section of the Girl Guides. Around the same time she encouraged Lady Alice Behrens to get involved with Guiding in Manchester. Behrens would go on to become the movement's first head of training and first Guider-In-Charge of Foxlease.

Malcolm spoke at a Girl Guides rally in February 1914 and in the same year began to run training sessions for Girl Guide leaders across the country. She was also district commissioner of Clevedon Girl Guides from 1919 until her death.

In later years, with failing health, she opened her home, Valetta, in Clevedon, Somerset as a rest home for Guiders. A memorial service for Malcolm was held at St Simon Zelotes, London.

Other She served as vice president of the Clevedon Girls' Club.