Derwen College celebrated 34 students achieving their Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, alongside a further 17 receiving their Progress and Achievements certificates, at a dedicated ceremony on Saturday 13 July.

Students at the specialist further education college, near Oswestry, were joined by families, staff, local dignitaries and sponsors to mark their efforts.

Shropshire’s Deputy Lieutenant, Veronica Lillis, was joined by Mayor of Oswestry, Cllr Mike Isherwood, and Roger Pemberton, Grand Master of Shropshire Freemasons Provincial, to present the certificates to the students. Roger Pemberton stated how impressed he was with the students’ dedication, saying, “They should be so proud of their achievements.”

Students Dylan, Jess and Orla were invited on stage to talk about their experiences of taking on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. They all mentioned that although it was a challenging process, it was the encouragement and support from their peers and staff that got them through it. Most importantly, the students were incredibly proud of themselves and their achievements.

The annual presentation of the Kirstin Royle Trust Award went to Sophie Dempsey, which recognises a student who has shown inspirational perseverance over the course of their journey. The expedition presented an immense physical challenge for Sophie, which she embraced with commitment, dedication and a sense of adventure, while always having a smile on her face and supporting the rest of the group.

The college’s all-singing, signing and dancing group, Derwen on Tour, performed to a full house at the ceremony. Later on, Hospitality and Food students welcomed the visiting VIPs to The Orangery Restaurant and served a buffet lunch with drinks. It was an all-round showcase of the wonderful students at Derwen College.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award’s Central England Operations Officer, James Minor, couldn’t attend the event in person. However, he sent a heart-warming video message of congratulations for the students, which was played during the ceremony.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards offer participants, with a wide variety of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the chance to develop skills for life, fulfil their potential and have a brighter future. Each section of the Award gives the students an opportunity to be independent, to grow in confidence and to be challenged as an individual – values we actively promote at Derwen College.

This is the tenth year that Derwen College has been running its Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, and to date the college has celebrated 154 Bronze Awards, 138 Silver Awards and 52 Gold Awards. It is a very proud moment for students and their families when they ultimately visit Buckingham Palace to receive their Gold Award certificates.

The college actively encourages students to take part in the Award as part of the student health and wellbeing programme. However, the college relies heavily on the support and generous donations of organisations such as Oswestry Lions Club, Cae Glas Park and Basil Houghton Memorial Trust, to name a few, to enable as many students as possible to take part.

To support students during their time at college, Derwen Charity provides extra experiences and opportunities for our students and clients to truly progress and thrive.

Funds raised by Derwen Charity are used to benefit all students and clients who work and/or live at Derwen College. Donations to Derwen Charity are used to upgrade and renovate the facilities and accommodation, and also help us to provide the exciting and important opportunities and experiences our students and clients need to achieve their life goals. To find out more about Derwen Charity, please visit www.derwen.ac.uk/charity