Young people all over the borough have been rewarded for taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

All aged between 14 and 25, the participants were awarded their certificate and badge from the Mayor of Bexley at St John’s Church, Sidcup, on Wednesday 11th November. Many of the awards were gained through school-organised groups, but a notable exception was the sailors and canoeists from the Danson Watersports group, based in Danson Park, Welling.

Over thirty teenagers, most who had never participated in water sports before, took up the challenge to learn how to sail or canoe for their Physical Recreation section, before undergoing a tough three day expedition on the boats to gain their Silver award. These were filmed and shown in a presentation at the award ceremony in a bid to encourage more young people to sign up for next year’s award.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award consists of four parts: physical recreation, skill, service and the expedition, with a further residential section for the Gold award. There are three stages; Bronze, Silver and Gold, with the length of time required to complete a section increasing each level.

The uptake of the award in Bexley is consistently high, reflecting the endeavour to succeed among the young people in the borough and giving them an opportunity to try something new and receive a positive response.