Hebden Bridge News

Duke of Edinburgh Awards For Calderdale Young People

Four young people from Calderdale travelled to Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh recently to receive their Duke of Edinburgh Award at a presentation ceremony exclusively for Gold Award winners.

In addition to being presented to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, they also got to meet Yorkshire mountaineer, Alan Hinkes OBE. Alan Hinkes is the first British mountaineer to have reached the top of all 14 mountains with heights greater than 8000 metres. Alan talked to the group about his experiences and the people who had inspired him.

The group achieved their awards through work with the Open Award Centre run by Calderdale Council’s Young People’s Service at Forest Cottage Community Centre, Illingworth. In order to fulfill the expedition criteria for the award, they spent five days walking the Pembrokeshire coastline.

“It was very exciting travelling to the royal palace and meeting the Duke” said Emma Ambrose, aged 19. “Obtaining the award was hard work, but it was worth it”.

Calderdale’s DofE Award Officer, Bryan Brooks, who was also present at the ceremony said:

“This is an award of significant stature and demands considerable commitment by the young people in what they do for their own development and in the service of others. The award acts as an excellent springboard for life and it is right and proper that the Gold should be presented at a royal palace by His Royal Highness.”

_Pictured in the grounds of Holyrood Palace are:
Left to right – Abha Khushu; Neha Gupta; Alan Hinkes; Laura Crossley; Emma Ambrose._