Local youngsters brush with royalty at Buckingham Palace

Youngsters from across the region each completed their gold Duke of Edinburgh Award before the pandemic, bagging them a ticket to meet His Royal Highness Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex.

Zakk Boswell, Abbie Bowns, Olivia Burton, Amelia Clarke, Eleanor Clausen, Emily Cook, William Coppock, Eleanor Johnson, Rhianna Lindsay, Jasmine Parker, Caitlin Penfold, Annabel Rouse, Henry Topley, Stephanie Skelton, Emily Louise Smith, Milly Towndrow, Alice Ward, Stella Webb, Carolanne White all completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards since the end of the pandemic.

The Award, founded by the late Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, encourages young people to learn new skills and develop themselves.

The ceremony, open to gold award recipients and their families, was hosted by HRH The Earl of Wessex along with a host of celebrities, including British-Jamaican reggae musician, television personality and celebrity chef, Levi Roots, TV explorer Ben Fogle, DofE alumna and actor Nina Wadia, and The Apprentice’s Tim Campbell.

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“The value of the Duke of Edinburgh Award cannot be overstated. In it’s 66 year history, thousands of young people have benefitted from the opportunities that the award has offered.

“That this is the most young people we have ever sent to one ceremony to accept their awards speaks volumes of the team of staff, family and friends behind these young people and the delivery of the scheme locally.

“I’m confident that each of these young people will now be ready to seize everything that life throws at them. Congratulations to each and every one of them and well done to the team that continuously coordinate this incredible scheme.”

Sue Campbell, Lead Practitioner for Adventurous Activities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I’m really proud of the young people and their achievements, and the individual journeys that they’ve all been on.

“They’ve all worked incredibly hard and achieved so much.

“I’d also like to thank those that have supported these youngsters – the staff, volunteers, parents and family members – to enable them to complete their awards.

“These young people really have made some special memories with new friends – things they’ll never forget, and they’ll look back on those for the rest of their lives.”

DofE Gold Award winner Jasmine Parker said: “I had a really hard time on my expedition. I cried every day and wanted to go home every day. Somehow I managed to keep going.

“Now I’m at university and any time I find something tough, I just remember those times and know that I can do anything.”

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Duke of Edinburgh coordinators, Sue Campbell, Gemma Goodwin and Jo Boswell, also attended the presentation.