Congratulations to our Gold Duke of Edinburgh Students

On Wednesday this week, students from our first two Gold Award cohorts were welcomed to Buckingham Palace for a special reception recognising their achievements and the tremendous effort required to complete the prestigious award. Held in the stunning palace gardens, the Gold Award Celebration was a wonderfully formal occasion, filled with all the grandeur and ceremony expected of a Royal occasion.

Reaching Gold represents commitment, resilience and determination, and to celebrate this accomplishment with a reception at Buckingham Palace was a fitting reward for all the hard work and dedication shown along the way and a truly memorable finale for our students.

Those invited were welcomed with tea and cakes before enjoying speeches from HRH Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, alongside inspiring words from amputee and racing driver Billy Monger and Ella-Mae Rayner (also known as Comet from Gladiators), among others.

Photograph of four young people posing outdoors while holding a large white rectangular frame with "Youth Without Limits" logo and hashtag #YouthWithoutLimits at Buckingham Palace. Photograph of a formal outdoor gathering on a lawn in front of a large historic building under a partly cloudy sky. Five young adults dressed in formal attire stand in the foreground, with a crowd of similarly dressed people mingling in the background.

It was a wonderful event that is the reward for every student who completed the DofE Award to the Gold standard.

It was also a chance to reminisce about the students' own journeys: their challenges, trials and tribulations whilst undertaking the award; to share stories and catch-up with old teammates.

Our current Year 13 students who completed the award in 2026 and pictured are: Archie, Jess, Sophie, Lucy, Elissa and Lauren. Additional Gold Award recipients include former students Will, Louis, Jacob, Ruby, Lexi and Abbie who completed their awards in 2025.

Unfortunately, a number of students from both cohorts were unable to attend the event due to A Level examination and study commitments and will hopefully have the opportunity to attend next year.

Huge congratulations go to every student who has achieved this outstanding accomplishment. Many thanks also to the NLS Team for their dedication support and organisation in the many different elements involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award; their hard work has helped make these achievements possible and has guided our students to an unforgettable finish to their Gold Award journey.

Photograph showing a group of young people dressed formally standing on grass in front of a large historic building under a partly cloudy sky at Buckingham Palace in a formal event or gathering, with individuals wearing suits and dresses in various colours and patterns, and a crowd visible in the background.