Seagoe Youth Group members achieve Duke of Edinburgh Gold awards

The award, which is widely recognised for helping young people build confidence, resilience and important life skills, requires participants to complete five demanding sections: volunteering, physical, skills, expedition and residential.

For those at Seagoe, each stage opened up new opportunities and presented fresh challenges, with the young people showing dedication throughout.

This year’s Gold award recipients were Harry Givan, Luke Nicholl, Mathew Smyton, Todd Currie, Jack Benson and Harrison Martin. Their achievement represents not only personal success, but also the support of everyone who helped them along the way.

Harry and Luke recently attended the Gold Award garden party at Buckingham Palace, where they were joined by their guests and Seagoe’s Duke of Edinburgh leader, Boyd McClurg, who received a special invitation. The remaining award holders have either already attended a presentation or will attend the next garden party at Hillsborough Castle.

While this year’s Seagoe Gold entrants were all boys, the youth group says there are girls in the next cohort currently working towards their own Gold award, continuing the tradition of participation and achievement within the group.

Seagoe Youth Group has paid tribute to the many people who helped make the success possible, thanking leaders, assessors and parents for their time, encouragement and support. The group said the award would not be possible without those who guide the young people, assess their progress and help them stay on track throughout the long process.

Special thanks were also extended to youth leaders Keith Livingstone, Stuart Paulin and Sarah McQuitty, who, along with Boyd McClurg, assisted with the expedition work, an essential part of the award.

The achievement has been warmly welcomed by the group, which said the Gold award winners had shown commitment and perseverance over a number of years to reach the milestone.