Duke of Edinburgh Gold in the Palace Garden

This week, a record number of Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold Award Participants from Ashford School were invited to a celebration held in the Buckingham Palace garden.

The event also featured keynote speeches by The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE as well as appearances by celebrity ambassadors of the DoE award. Congratulations to the 31 students who participated and received their Gold DofE Award.

Simon Burke, DofE lead at Ashford School said “Completing a Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award is a testament to resilience, dedication and commitment; it is a significant achievement for any young person. The many demands I placed on them, were met, and more. Ashford School is proud to celebrate the 31 pupils who received their Gold Awards this calendar year, each one having successfully completed the Bronze, Silver, and Gold award process. This requires significant effort,  perseverance and leadership. The record number of Gold Awards is a proud moment for the whole school and highlights the importance we place on shaping and developing young leaders.”

Michael Hall, headmaster commented “I was delighted to join thirty one Ashford School students, with their families, at Buckingham Palace last week as they were presented with their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.  The Gold Award in particular requires extraordinary perseverance, grit and determination: it was a day of celebration of their hard work and commitment that will set them in good stead as they embark on their lives after school.”