Friday 9 May marked a truly memorable occasion for V6 Sixth Form students, Megan and Esha, as they were invited to the gardens of Buckingham Palace to celebrate achieving the prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Joined by around a thousand other young people from across the country, the annual garden party recognises the dedication, resilience, and personal growth required to complete the Gold Award. Over the past year, Megan and Esha committed themselves to learning a new skill, volunteering in their community, undertaking a challenging three-day expedition, and participating in a residential experience.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, founded by Prince Philip in 1956, is one of the UK’s most respected youth development programmes. The Gold Award is its highest level, designed for young adults aged 18–25, and builds on the Bronze and Silver levels with greater challenges and deeper personal development.

 

 

Megan and Esha were honoured to receive their awards from Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, who is the current patron of the programme and a Gold Award holder himself since 1986.

Reflecting on the day, Megan said "We both had a brilliant day, and it was a great privilege to visit Buckingham Palace and meet Prince Edward. The weather was perfect! We have worked so hard to complete the DofE Award. It has taught us a great deal about the value of hard work, commitment and helping others.”

We are incredibly proud of Megan and Esha for their outstanding achievement and the example they set for our school community.