Students collect gold award from Duke of Edinburgh

SIX former students of the Oratory School in Woodcote went to Buckingham Palace to receive their Duke of Edinburgh’s gold awards from Prince Edward.

To achieve a gold award, participants must complete 12 months of volunteering, a four-day expedition and various physical, skill-based and residential challenges.

Marcus Fec, assistant head co-curricular at the school, said: “Service to others is a core concept of the Oratory and the DofE Award, enabling our students to gain recognition for their contribution to the community.

“For this group, community service included supporting local primary pupils, visiting residents of the Henley Manor care home and performing for the Woodcote Volunteers.

“Their expedition section was completed under challenging weather conditions in the Brecon Beacons. Faced with injury, illness, mist and rain and hungry midges, these students battled through and gained a real sense of achievement and camaraderie.”

The students were, left to right, Henry Watson, from Woodcote, Max Briffett, from Henley, Fraser Robertson, from Caversham, Grace Lambourne, from Henley, Nathan Hicks, from Pangbourne, and Joseph Gosling, from Goring.