Five Elizabethans have received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards in two ceremonies at St James’s Palace.
Akhil Amlani, Imran Khan, Christopher Brent, Yathushan Sivarajah and Hiten Morar were all presented with the prestigious award. To achieve it, the five worked through all five sections of the D of E Gold programme: Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and a Residential Section – a demanding process which takes at least 18 months.
For his residential project, Akhil Amlani, who was London’s Climate Change Champion 2008/9, took an eco-trip to the Netherlands to witness the impacts of climate change on a low-lying country and to see first-hand the the adaptation techniques used there. He then built an eco-garden on his return. Imran Khan took a Headstart Course in Engineering at Cambridge University, attending lectures and seminars to experience life as an undergraduate. Both spent time volunteering in a local primary school and a borough library, as well as learning and developing a new skill and completing physical recreation work.
Ninety boys at QE are currently working towards their Gold Award, many of whom have completed three of the five sections. The most recent group to join the Gold programme comprises 46 Year 12 boys, six of whom recently completed their residential stage at Trewern Outdoor Education Centre in Wales, where they spent four days white-water kayaking. Twenty-five boys are expected to take part in a five-day, 80km Gold walking expedition this summer in Snowdonia, preceded by a practice expedition in the Peak District. A further group have organised their own cycling expedition.
Teacher Christina Wu, who is in charge of QE’s Duke of Edinburgh programme, has introduced the Bronze Award at the School for the first time. Thirty Year 10 boys are working towards the award through QE, with an additional four external boys participating in the QE expedition. The practice expedition took place in Roydon, Essex, while the assessed expedition is over the May bank holiday, also in Essex. The boys will have to cover 30km over a weekend. They must map their own routes and then follow them by using a compass and finding grid references. They will be putting up their own tents and will cook for themselves using Trangia stoves. They will also have to complete a project while they are on expedition.