21 Duke of Edinburgh’s Award centres were represented at the event held on 10^th November at County Hall in Hertford. Each received a certificate of thanks and a commemorative paperweight presented to them by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, The Countess of Verulam, and the Deputy Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Stuart Lewis.

Hertfordshire County Council Youth Connexions has been licensed as an Operating Authority of the DofE since 1974. It currently support 83 schools and 10 youth work projects across Hertfordshire to deliver the DofE to over 10,000 young people aged between 13 and 25 each year.

Those who received awards included Sara Edwards from Hitchin Girls School who has been assisting with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for over 20 years

Also receiving an award was Adrian Devine from Rivers Education Support Centre in Hoddesdon which only started the award programme last year and has recently submitted its first Bronze Awards for approval.

County Councillor Richard Roberts, HCC Executive Member for Children’s Services gave a closing speech. He said: “My heartfelt thanks to all of Hertfordshire schools, education support centres, Youth Connexions and others for encouraging so many young people to take up the challenge of The Duke of Edinburgh scheme and to succeed in delivering the programme to ever increasing numbers of young people.”

The event was hosted by John Weinstock, DofE Manager for Hertfordshire County Council, and guest speakers included: Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, The Countess of Verulam; Taryn Pearson-Rose, HCC Assistant Director of Customer Engagement; Lindsey Rigby-Smith, Outreach Manager, Outreach and Widening Participation University of Hertfordshire, and; Christian Scott, DofE Director South East.

The following centres received awards:

Beaumont School – Ella Dickson

Bishops Stortford College – Emma Chaplin

Broxbourne School – Cris Harvey

Chancellors School – Gilly Shirazi

Cheshunt School – Ian McDowell

Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls – Hannah Robinson

Haileybury College – Bill Irving

Herts and Essex High School – John Boyle

Hitchin Girls School – Sara Edwards

Hockerill College – Natasha Hillcoat-Hyde

Lonsdale School – Sheena Harley

Monks Walk School – Andy Riley

Onslow St Audreys School – Steph Hodgson

Parmiters School – Mark Holloway

Princess Helena College – Debbie Hammond

Richard Hale School – Derek Clarke

Rivers ESC – Adrian Devine

Sandringham School – Alison Cuneen

St Clement Danes School – Amanda Kirby

Thomas Alleyne Academy – Nicola De Laune

Youth Connexions Broxbourne Team – Howard Garner

Find out more about The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.