Seven young people were recently presented with Gold Awards for the Duke of Edinburgh???s International Award Barbados, by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Princess Royal.

This year???s Awardees were Ajani Daniel, Jeremy Devonish, Ricardo Greenidge, Akeem James, Camille Jones, Chad Larrier and Georgina Trew.??The Princess Royal congratulated each participant and spoke with them about their experience of doing the Award.

Joining in her commendations were Governor General, Sir Elliott Belgrave; Chairman of the Trustees, Sir Trevor Carmichae;, and the Chairman of the National Award Council, Stephen Smith. Mr Smith spoke about the progress the Award in Barbados has been making in its effort to develop the youth of the island.

???The Award currently has 374 registered participants from 16 groups??? Going forward, one of the objectives of the Award in Barbados is to continue to strengthen existing relationships with other youth organisations such as the Barbados Boy Scouts, the Girl Guides Association of Barbados and the Barbados Cadets Corps???

???The stature and respect for the Award programme in our society and abroad has stood the Awardees in good stead, presenting them in a positive light when applying for placement at universities, jobs and other opportunities,??? he stated.

The Duke of Edinburgh???s International Award Barbados is a rigorous achievement award with three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. To achieve their award, participants must complete activities in five sections: Skills, Service, Physical Recreation, Adventurous Journey and Residential Project (Gold only).

The activities done by this year???s Gold Awardees include coaching track & field, bodybuilding, playing volleyball, and conducting an environmental awareness project. Four of the Awardees Ajani, Jeremy, Akeem and Chad, offered their services to the Barbados Heritage Trust Foundation by restoring one of the chattel houses at the Tyrol Cot Heritage Village.

The participants did their Adventurous Journeys, which is a gruelling 50 miles hike over four days, at the annual CASC Regional Camp organised by the Caribbean Award Sub-regional Council in a different Caribbean country every year. Camille attended the camp in Barbados in 2013; Ricardo attended the camp in St. Vincent in 2014; and Ajani, Jeremy, Akeem and Chad attended the camp this year in Grenada. Georgina, who is known as the ???International Duker???, did her Adventurous Journey in Madagascar.

The Award in Barbados??? next major event is the annual Bring a Fren & Come Hike on Sunday, October 25, which will start at Mount Tabor Church at 2:00 p.m. This fundraising hike is open to the public, and will be taking hikers along the picturesque East Coast, stopping at breath-taking locations like Hackleton???s Cliff and Wilson Hill. For more information, the public may visit www.theawardbarbados.com.

Author: Duke of Edinburgh/BGIS

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