By Miss Sadler (Science Teacher and DofE Bronze Coordinator)

Congratulations to all the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) students and alumnae who received their Gold Award at Buckingham Palace on Friday 10th May.

The event was hosted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and took place in the beautiful gardens of Buckingham Palace. The award holders had the opportunity to listen to talks by inspirational speakers such as Clive Myrie, Vick Hope, Billy Monger, Millie Pickles and Tim Peake. They were also able to enjoy the garden surroundings, participate in garden games and activities, and make the most of the special day.

Earning the Gold Award is a significant achievement for these young people as it signifies the successful completion of four sections of the award: physical, volunteering, skill, and residential. Completing the Gold award requires a minimum of 12 months, demonstrating the dedication and commitment of these young individuals. Read more about timescales on the DofE website here.

Isabel Baker (Upper Sixth) shares her experience of the day: “I was delighted to be invited to Buckingham Palace for the DofE Gold Award Celebration event. The event aims to celebrate the incredible achievement of all the young people who have successfully completed their Gold DofE Award. Several guest speakers were also invited to talk to us, including Heather Fisher (Olympic Rugby player) and Vick Hope (BBC Radio 1 and ITV Presenter).

“The weather on the day itself could not have been better. Buckingham Palace gardens were beautifully presented in the glorious sunshine, and the atmosphere of the morning was one of joy and celebration. HRH Prince Edward (the Duke of Edinburgh) spoke to us all about our successes and how well the DofE will have set us up for our future. I was even able to speak to him afterwards as he made his way down the line!

“Visiting Buckingham Palace Gardens is a once in a lifetime experience and is certainly something I will never forget. I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in all my Duke of Edinburgh awards while at school, and this final celebration event was the perfect way to commemorate the 4.5 years of hard work that went into achieving all three of the DofE Awards.”

A huge congratulations to all our Gold Award recipients - Isabel Baker (Upper Sixth), Amy Hall (BGS 2023), Erin Rowe (BGS 2023), Eloise Taylor (BGS 2023), Hannah Russell (BGS 2023).

Remember to follow our DofE ‘X’ account here.