Jessica Rowe found the recipe for success that has led her to win this year’s Big Sister of the Year.

The 29-year-old bonded with Rhamai Rhones-Mussenden over a shared love of cooking.

Ms Rowe met Rhamai through the mentoring programme Big Brothers Big Sisters Bermuda four years ago.

Now the human resources administrator at Saltus Grammar School will be presented with her award at a special ceremony today.

Ms Rowe, of St George’s, said: “I was quite surprised. I wasn’t really expecting it.

“I’m just very happy because we’ve been matched together for four years and it really has become a big part of my life, getting to spend time with her and seeing her every weekend.”

The pair play squash, go to the movies, visit other parts of the island, go shopping or cook up a storm in the kitchen.

Ms Rowe said: “We mainly do a lot of cooking because she really enjoys that and we want to do more of it now that it’s 2018, more cooking this year as opposed to baking.”

Rhamai, 14, said her friendship with Ms Rowe provided good company and a chance to relax.

The CedarBridge Academy pupil, also from St George’s, added: “I learnt a lot of new things like how to be more friendly to people because I never used to express my feelings and she opened it up for me.

“She is a very loving person. She is very helpful, she’s caring and I love that about her. She’s the type of person I will always be friends with.”

Ms Rowe said she had also learnt a lot from spending time with Rhamai.

She explained: “She’s a really positive person and very happy and upbeat. She hardly ever complains and is just really thankful about everything in life.”

She added: “Spending time together, we get to learn a lot from each other.

“Rhamai plays the drums and has done for a long time and is really great.

“That’s one thing that she has introduced me to because I never knew anybody who played the drums before.

“I’ve been to some of her performances and have invited my family to see her play.”

Rhamai explained that her mother signed her up for the programme and told her about it when she was matched with Ms Rowe.

Ms Rowe knew she wanted to be part of a mentoring programme while she was still at university.

She said: “I thought doing something with kids would be really great and rewarding.”

Ms Rowe started with the Mirrors programme before she decided to also volunteer with BBBS.

She added: “I definitely would encourage other people to sign up. I have tried to do so in the past.

“We always have lots of different events going on throughout the year. We have a kite day and we have a Christmas party and we do trips to the aquarium.”

She stressed it is not “as scary a commitment as you might think”.

Ms Rowe said: “The way the programme is structured, it’s quite informal and being able to just have fun and spend time on the weekends. There’s nothing scary about that.

“If anything, it’s just pushing your boundaries and getting to know someone else that’s a bit younger than you.”

January marks Mentoring Month and BBBS will host the Thank Your Mentor event and present the awards at a public ceremony at Hamilton’s City Hall from 12.30pm to 1.30pm today.