Five Mount girls received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards in June at a ceremony in the private gardens of Buckingham Palace.
Phoebe Delamere, Celia Edwards, Sarah Granville, Ella Latham and Scarlett Latham (College II) received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh certificates from Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
The girls, who completed their Gold level award expedition in August 2017, said it was an unforgettable experience, especially in the same week as the royal wedding. They were each allowed to have one parent accompany them, and twins Ella and Scarlett had both parents present.
Unforgettable Experience
Scarlett said, “It was unforgettable. My favourite part of the day was simply walking around the grounds, which are an incredibly beautiful setting. There were ducks on the lake, the weather was beautiful and there was live music; at one point one of the bands played the same tune from Les Miserables which we are singing in Choir. We also saw the seats which were being set up for this weekend’s royal wedding.”
Sarah said, “Going through the gates was quite an experience, because not many people get to see behind the Palace. It was quite something to be singing the national anthem with actual royals present. The students were divided up into three groups and each group received their awards from a different royal. The Countess of Wessex presented us with our awards. Her husband Prince Edward was also presenting awards, as was Princess Anne.”
The girls also saw television personalities Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and Isy Suttie.
Gold Level Duke of Edinburgh
The Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is for students over 16 years of age. The students complete four sections: a volunteering section, a physical skills section, a four-day expedition and a residential section where they undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for five days and four nights.
The Mount’s Principal, Adrienne Richmond, said, “I am very proud of the girls for having completed their Gold award. Bearing in mind that they completed this along with their studies and whilst participating in the many extra-curricular activities offered at The Mount, be it in one of school’s many music ensembles, or coordinating the Engineering Society, or fulfilling the duties of the Head Girl team, it really is quite an achievement. The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme encourages students to get involved and teaches valuable life skills. This runs parallel with The Mount’s own culture of developing resilience and independence of thought, and is one of the many reasons why Mount girls grow into such confident and independent young women.”
The Mount offers all three levels of Duke Edinburgh Award (gold, silver and bronze), which are considered valuable by employers and university admissions officers.