QAC invited to celebrate the Diamond Anniversary of the DofE Award

We were extremely pleased and honoured to receive an invitation to a special Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the Diamond Anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

4 members of QAC staff at Westminster Abbey for the DofE anniversary

College Principal, Hugh Williams was accompanied by Debbie Davis, Meltem Naylor and Natasha Czerwinski to this very special service which was held at Westminster Abbey in London. With over 2000 guests it was a unique experience which they all found most interesting and enjoyable. 

The Service of Thanksgiving held on Thursday 24th November 2016 was held in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh and Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The service was conducted by several members of the Westminster Abbey clergy with additional readings being made by Paralympic Gold Medal Winner Hannah Hopcroft MBE, Impressionist and DofE Award Ambassador Jon Culshaw, Broadcaster and DofE Award Diamond Challenger Phillip Schofield. The main address being made by His Royal Highness The Earl of Wessex.

His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh first considered the idea of a National Programme to support young people’s development during the autumn of 1954, at the request of his inspiring headmaster, Kurt Hahn, who thought that each of us has more courage, more strength and more compassion than we would ever have believed. His Royal Highness’’ interest was awakened, and in 1956 the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) was born.

Each individual could put together their own programme, and this has remained unchanged over the course of 60 years. Initially set up to give young men leaving education the opportunity to develop further, the DofE has as much relevance today as it did then.

In 1959, at the same time that the DofE became a charitable trust, a girl’s programme was launched. Since then the DofE has been open to all young people from every walk of life, sharing the common aim of achieving their Award.

Now in 2016, more young people than ever before are doing their DofE, regardless of circumstances. Last year, for the first time, more than 250,000 young people in the UK started their DofE.

The DofE is available today through what is probably the UK’s most comprehensive network of youth organisations, building on the early pilots with uniformed youth groups and clubs. It is possible to do DofE through Housing Associations, youth groups, football and rugby clubs, open centres, schools, colleges and universities in every community in the UK.

QAC is very proud to be able to offer the DofE Award to its students. Our staff have shown exceptional commitment to enabling students to develop skills, abilities and confidence outside of their comfort zones.