News

Royal Week for Girls' Brigade in Scotland

Thursday May 14

^{Education Secretary John Swinney and the 15 recipients of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award}

It was a royal week for Girls’ Brigade Scotland last week, as the Earl of Wessex attended several events celebrating the organisation’s involvement with the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Awards.

First, Prince Edward, joined by education secretary John Swinney, presented 15 young GB leaders with their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Holyrood Palace. Presentations were also made to GB leaders who had had undertaken their own Diamond Challenge to raise funds for DofE Awards, along with a long service award to Anne Goodlet (right), who recently retired as Captain of the 82^nd Glasgow Company following 34 years of service to DofE via Girls’ Brigade.

This was just the first of several meetings with the Earl over the week as girls and young leaders participated in the DofE Diamond Challenge Tour across Scotland.

Lochgoilhead was the venue for a raft building challenge and race for the uniformed organisations; and on the same day a different team met the Prince at Netherurd House in the Borders, where they participated in another challenge before setting off on a Bronze Award practice hike. On Friday, a group of GB leaders scaled climbing walls in the city centre.

Caroline Goodfellow, Chief Executive of Girls’ Brigade Scotland, said: “DofE is very popular in GB Scotland and offers girls and young women an opportunity to build confidence, develop new skills and learn how to work as part of an effective team. The Award compliments the ethos of Girls’ Brigade, encouraging girls to look at their place in the wider community.

“This was summed up by one of our young leaders who had participated in two events throughout the week who said ‘I’ve had a great week. I got my Gold DofE and met HRH the Duke of Wessex at the palace and again at Dundee. Growing up, people tried to tell me GB was cool and they think I’m weird for going but I have been given so many opportunities through GB and would encourage any girl to join up.’”