| On 16 May 2016, Councillor Tom McAughtrie, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee attended a once in a life time Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace, London. At the event Councillor McAughtrie, on behalf of Dumfries and Galloway Council, was presented with a special plaque from the DofE Charity by celebrity supporter Lady Michelle Mone OBE, acknowledging the Local Authorities commitment to running the DofE and thanking us for giving young people the opportunity to transform their lives.
Speaking proudly about their involvement with the DofE, Councillor Tom McAughtrie said: “Dumfries and Galloway Council has held a licence to deliver the DofE for more than 40 years and I feel honoured to have been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive a commemorative plaque to acknowledge and say thank you for our work with the Charity during its Diamond Anniversary year. Our young people are encouraged to push themselves outside of their comfort zones when doing their DofE and the skills that they develop can be life-changing, so for us to be involved is something very special. We are also proud to say that Sarah Sloan from Stranraer Academy DofE Centre received their Gold DofE Award at the Palace on the same day.”
The DofE is celebrating its Diamond Anniversary throughout 2016, having supported millions of young people in the UK and across the globe to achieve DofE Awards since it was founded in 1956. The prestigious Gold Award Presentation at Buckingham Palace is one of many memorable events taking place to celebrate 60 years of the Charity.
Members of the Royal Family; HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, HRH The Earl of Wessex and HRH The Countess of Wessex, congratulated those that were present including young Gold Award achievers, organisations that deliver the DofE and special guests such as corporate supporters and DofE Diamond Challengers, who have set themselves a personal challenge to raise money for the DofE Charity in its anniversary year.
Dumfries and Galloway Council has been delivering the DofE for over 40 years years and since then, over 2500 of its young people have achieved a DofE Award after volunteering in their community, learning a skill, getting fit, going on an expedition and, for Gold, taking part in a week-long residential. Doing a DofE programme significantly impacts young people’s futures, enabling them to develop vital skills for life and work, such as confidence, commitment, resilience and team work. Widely acknowledged as the world’s leading achievement award for young people, Dumfries and Galloway Council hold a licence to deliver DofE programmes to anyone between the ages of 14-24 years old. |
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