Gold award winner ‘owes so much to scheme’ (From Bicester Advertiser)

Gold award winner ‘owes so much to scheme’

6:00pm Saturday 8th September 2012 in News

STUDENT Kayleigh Barrett had a royal date to collect a gold award.

Former Bicester Community College pupil Miss Barrett completed a string of personal challenges to complete her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award.

Over the summer Miss Barrett, of Mulberry Drive, Bicester, travelled to St James’ Palace, London, where the Earl of Wessex presented her with her certificate.

To gain the award she spent two years working through five sections of the programme which included volunteering, physical exercise, developing practical and social skills, an expedition and a residential section that involved living away from home.

Miss Barrett, who is studying English Literature at the University of Northampton, also took part in two expeditions to Scotland and the North Yorkshire Moors, took up gliding and learned how to make a quilt.

She said her mother Diane Barrett encouraged her to sign up for the Duke of Edinburgh scheme when she was 14 to help boost her confidence.

The 20-year-old said: “Before I started, I was really shy and had little self-confidence.

“Now I can think to myself ‘I can do this’. I really owe a lot to the scheme.”