Wokingham

Over 120 young people were celebrating gold, silver and bronze success at the annual Wokingham Duke of Edinburgh’s Award presentation ceremony held on April 27.

Wokingham District Council runs the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award through the district’s schools, youth clubs, open award centres and other organisations such as scouts, guides and the air training corps. There are groups that specialise in working with young people with special needs and groups that work with older participants who have already left school. The award continues to grow in popularity each year.

The Wokingham awards were presented by Philip Wroughton, Lord Lieutenant for the Royal County of Berkshire, witnessed by the chairman of Wokingham district council Cllr Iain Brown at a presentation ceremony held at Bearwood College Theatre. Some 94 young people received the bronze award, while 21 were awarded silver and 13 were awarded gold. Certificates were also awarded to members of Bulmershe Youth Centre’s special needs group.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a voluntary programme of activities for anyone aged 14 – 25 years. The award is a four-section programme with three progressive levels: bronze, silver and gold. The sections involve: service (helping the community); skills (a hobby, skill or interest); physical recreation (sport, dance, fitness); expeditions (on foot, cycle, horseback or water). The amount of time spent on each activity depends on whether the young person is at bronze, silver or gold level.

Wokingham Award participants Emily Woods, aged 16, and Katie Smith, aged16, who received their bronze award, compéred the evening. They were joined by a number of young people from Wokingham and Bulmershe Open Award Centres as well as pupils from Luckley Oakfield, Maiden Erlegh and The Holt schools, who shared their expedition experiences and their musical and dance skills with a packed audience.

Through participating in the award, young people broaden their horizons and gain a wide variety of experiences. Some have helped at Brownies and local primary schools, while others have been involved in conservation work or working in a charity shop.

Many others have participated in range of sporting activities from canoeing to golf and horse riding to karate. Under the skills section of the awards, young people are encouraged to pursue activities within a wide range of practical, cultural and social environments, which included tall ship sailing. Many young people have taken up a musical instrument while some have developed skills for song writing and public speaking.

The Forest of Dean, Lake District, the New Forest, Canada and Bolivia are some of the expedition locations that youngsters have visited over the past year. Working as part of a team, all young people have to plan their adventurous journey and rise to the challenge of the physical demands of the expedition as well as developing an awareness of the areas visited and the issues that affect the environment.

Wokingham District Council’s chairman Cllr Iain Brown said: “I have met many young people during the year I have been chairman and I have been impressed by their enthusiasm for stretching themselves in their chosen fields of activity whatever their abilities.

“The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme has stood the test of time to bring out the very best in our young people. It has taught many of them the values that hold our communities together – most of which is through voluntary action of one sort or another. I have seen them in action in our district putting their newly found skills to good practical use.

“I have every confidence that that the young people who have embarked upon the award scheme will find themselves well equipped to meet the challenges that will face them throughout their adult lives. They will be able to progress into becoming our leaders of tomorrow and be able to give others a helping hand. I would like to congratulate all of them on their individual successes.”

Wokingham District Council