Demand outstrips places on Duke awards scheme

The need for strict qualifications for leaders of the outings for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme means that the numbers on them are being rationed.

Award scheme area co-ordinator Nigel Lord said those who wanted to take the treks to places such as Snowdonia and the Lake District had to meet strict requirements.

Those in charge of the bronze and silver level outings needed the basic leadership award. For the gold level, the minimum requirement was the mountain leader qualification.

But too few individuals had achieved the required standards to cater for all those mainly teenagers wanting to take part.

"We are having to restrict numbers. Some schools are holding lotteries to see who can do the badges.

"That's not good but, hopefully, the situation will improve the year after next when more people become suitably qualified," he stated.

His comments came after the latest award when almost 100 young people received their awards in a ceremony held at St Philip Howard Catholic High School in Barnham.

Those who achieved the ultimate gold level had been on expeditions, on a residential course, helped in the community and learnt new skills. It can take them five or six years to work their way through all the necessary stages.

One woman at the award ceremony spent three weeks in Thailand for her residential element.

Mr Lord, who has been involved with the DoE scheme since 1982, said he was unsurprised so many young people still wanted to gain DoE awards. Between 500-600 are currently at various stages of the scheme.

"It's all about improving themselves, challenging themselves and enjoying themselves. We never hear about young people doing those positive things. We only ever hear nationally about all the negative things. But most young people are not like that. They do things in their schools and in their communities and the amount they do sometimes amazes me," he stated.

Those who took part in the ceremony received their awards from nature writer and Observer contributor Richard Williamson. He took time to speak to each individual and gave a delightful talk.Those who received their awards were:

Gold Award:

Bognor Regis Open Award Centre '“ Frances Haynes, Hayley Rogers, Catherine Haynes, Joanna Seear, Chris Misselbrook, Hayley Wilkins.

St Philip Howard Catholic High School '“ Kelsey Martin, Sarah Pope.

Littlehampton Community School '“ William Clevett, Martin Ferris.

Silver Award:

Bognor Regis Open Award Centre '“ Claire Bennett, David Morgan, Robyn Denton, Sam Snell, Harriet Gray, Kelsey Stubbs, Bethany Mercer.

St Philip Howard Catholic High School '“ Jonathan Allington, Ben O'Neill Ellis, Darren Barnes, Philippe Harbord, Matthew Barton, Elizabeth James, Rosie Collins, Lucy Willway.

Angmering School '“ Simon Brown, Amy Willis, Maria Wood

Littlehampton Community School '“ Harry Finn, Verity Heard, Todd Finn, Scott Robertson, Charles Hammans, James Vigor.

Service Sectional Certificates:

West Sussex Mentoring Project '“

Craig Adams, Michael Challoner, Steven Andrew, Sam Moriarty, Nicholas Myles.

Bronze Award:

Bognor Regis Open Award Centre '“ Fay Charlton, Catherine Newman, Melissa Carrington, Lauren Osborne, George Dyson.

Felpham Community College '“ Matthew Baker-Irons, Katie Hewstone, Jack Fry, Elena Stevens, Michael Hepher

St Philip Howard Catholic High School '“ Edward Bartlett, Harry Martin, Daniel Barton, Adam Moore, Peter Beadle, Eleanor Murray, Thomas Begley, Thomas Napper, Oliver Davies, Hannah O'Connor, Naomi Evans-Clarke, Joseph Palmer, Lucy Goff, Maria Ponterosso, Keri Heffernan, Oliver Richards, Freddie Henshaw, Megan Richardson, Caitlin Jeffery, Olivia Satturley, Katie Labbett, Danielle Slade, Kishan Lander, Nikolas Syrimis, Louise Lane, Zoe Syrimi, Victoria Lowry, Hannah Ursell, Daniel Wilkins

Angmering School '“ Francesca Ayling, Alex Isaacs, Simon Brown, Michaela Korodimou, Jessica French, James Millett, Paul Harris, Natasha Wilson

Littlehampton Community School '“ Sarah Cooper, Matthew Lewis, Rachel Eberle, Felicity McLeod, Matthew Leclere, Maisie Marshall.