HRH Prince Edward To Present Gold Awards

One hundred and twenty participants of the Young New Zealanders' Challenge of the Duke of Edinburgh's Awards will receive their Gold Awards from His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex next week.

The first of the gold awards will be presented on Tuesday 16 March at Government House, Wellington. He will also present Gold Awards on Thursday 18 March at Columba College, Dunedin and on Sunday 21 March at Dilworth School, Auckland During the visit HRH will launch the Challenge's new initiative the Charter for Business.

The Young New Zealanders' Challenge, previously known as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, has been operating in New Zealand for the past four decades. It offers young people aged 14 to 25, the opportunity to participate in a voluntary, non competitive programme of extra curricular activities that provide a personal and individual challenge.

The program is offered in all New Zealand secondary schools and national youth movements and is increasingly being used in community groups catering for disabled, disadvantaged and youth at risk. On average 5000 new participants enter the Challenge in New Zealand each year.

Chairman, Andrew Meehan said "it is a great pleasure to have His Royal Highness, Prince Edward present the awards this year. It is important to recognise the enormous effort the participants have made towards achieving a Gold accreditation and to be recognised by royalty is an added honour."

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