SIX students who completed their studies at Kelly College visited St James Palace recently, to be presented with their gold Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Edwina Currie, who presided over the ceremony, recounted stories of her D of E before giving certificates to the assembled award winners.

At gold level the Duke of Edinburgh's award comes in five parts. It requires participants to help the community in the volunteering section; promotes participation in sports in the physical section; helps develop a talent in the skills section; the residential section takes individuals out of their comfort zone to develop as an individual away from friends and home; finally the expedition section sees them completing a four-day expedition.

Rhys Byrne, currently studying medicine at Bristol University, spent time working in a hospital in Ghana and completed the gruelling 125-mile Devizes to Westminster canoe marathon. Megan Mackenzie, studying medicine at Imperial University, worked as a volunteer in Cambodia. Jack Rouse, studying civil engineering at Plymouth University, worked on an Army base in Gibraltar as well as completing voluntary work for the National Trust. Georgina Killingbeck completed the DW canoe marathon, Ten Tors at all distances as well as her Bronze and Silver awards and is off to travel the world. Anastasia Steed is also about to go travelling – first stop Singapore. James Macfarlane is a veteran of all Kelly's major outdoor pursuits, an accomplished scholar and swimmer and completed his residential on the tall ships.