Gold Award Presentation at St James's Palace Monday 4 February 2019

543 young people collected their Gold Award Certificates on Monday 4th February 2019 at St James’s Palace in the presence of HRH The Earl of Wessex.

Morning presentation

Guest Presenters left to right:
Mark Easton, Lindsey Cole, Pip Stewart, Gyles Brandreth

Throne Room
Presenter – Mark Easton, Home Editor, BBC News

“It’s an absolute privilege to be here today. You’ve all worked so incredibly hard and deserve all the congratulations. As Kurt Hahn said: ‘there is more in you than you think’, and it’s easy to forget that. But doing your Gold DofE you will have discovered new things about yourself. The DofE is a journey and you are better and stronger for going on it.”

Entrée Room
Presenter – Lindsey Cole, Adventurer, Writer and Teacher

“What you’ve achieved is remarkable. It takes a lot of commitment, hard work and stepping out of your comfort zone – how wonderful to have those skills already. Let yourself be inspired, flexible and do things that make you feel alive.”

Queen Anne Room
Presenter – Gyles Brandreth, Journalist and Broadcaster

“An amazing day meeting amazing young people who have risen to the amazing challenge that is their Gold DofE. They’re the best and hearing their stories gives you real hope for the future.”

Picture Gallery
Presenter – Pip Stewart, Adventurer, Journalist and Presenter

“Use your spark to light a fire in other people, you never know where it might lead.”

Afternoon presentation

Guest Presenters left to right:
Matt Allwright, Alex Gregory MBE, Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Mark Wood

Throne Room
Presenter – Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Writer, Presenter and Poker Player

Entrée Room
Presenter – Alex Gregory MBE, Olympian, Arctic Rower and Author

“You never know which opportunity will change the path of your life. Opportunities are for taking! Good luck with everything you go on to do.”

Queen Anne Room
Presenter – Mark Wood, Explorer and Scout Ambassador

“I spend my life working in the extremes of this planet. It all began with my time in the Scouts.”

Picture Gallery
Presenter – Matt Allwright, Journalist and Presenter

“You are golden. Your efforts over the last few years have got you here to the Palace and you should be very proud indeed. It really cannot be overestimated how hard achieving a Gold DofE Award is.”