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On the 6th September the Gold cohort from Wellington’s 2017-18 Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group and a selection of Real Tennis players had the opportunity to meet HRH The Earl of Wessex as part of his world tour to celebrate and promote the DofE Award.
The Earl of Wessex spent the first part of this visit on the Real Tennis court. His first test was with three students who are playing Real Tennis as part of their DofE Award, as His Royal Highness did when he was a student. Our visitor then partnered Jamie Innes against Junior Real Tennis Champion, Freddie Bristowe, and Tommy Offer, with some high-quality tennis being played. During the afternoon, The Earl of Wessex enjoyed watching a game involving pupils from Hatch Ride Primary School, one of three schools that participate as part of our outreach programme.
In the evening, Gold DofE students presented their expedition reports to The Earl of Wessex. Five groups of students recounted their adventures, with details of activities ranging from walking in Scotland, to canoeing and sailing. Later in the evening OW James Voisin (Bronze, Silver and Gold Award holder) entertained the guests with tales from his many DofE exploits.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme was founded by Prince Philip in 1956 and was originally designed for boys aged between 14 and 18. HRH The Earl of Wessex has increased his involvement in the DofE Award since his father’s retirement in 2017. 62 years on, he will spear-head a very different organisation. The scheme has evolved and modernised over the years, encompassing a variety of skills and disciplines and is now open to both girls and boys aged 14 to 25.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award remains a core part of Wellington’s co-curricular provision and, in keeping with the Wellington spirit, nothing is done by halves: Gold Award candidates head to Knoydart, a peninsular off the West Coast of Scotland, accessible only by a four-day walk and boat trip and dubbed the remotest place in mainland Britain.
