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Record number celebrated at Duke of Edinburgh Awards
St Matthew’s Academy Auditorium played host to this year’s Duke of Edinburgh Awards (DofE) ceremony celebrating the hard work and dedication of North Ayrshire’s selfless young people.
A milestone for North Ayrshire, 304 pupils were recognised at the evening ceremony on Thursday 26 March where pupils across our secondary schools were honoured across the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.
North Ayrshire currently has nine secondary schools and four youth and community groups involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in North Ayrshire.
The DofE is increasing in popularity in North Ayrshire and the number of awards started and achievers has never been higher.
Celebrating the landmark milestone, North Ayrshire Provost Anthea Dickson gave a warm welcome to the DofE participants, parents, guardians, leaders and volunteers.
She congratulated them for how selflessly they have given up their own time to serve their communities, push beyond their limits, supporting each other along the way to achieve the internationally-recognised DofE accolades.
The coveted awards are a standard of excellence and will go a long way in helping North Ayrshire’s young people shine and stand out when they progress into further education or as they embark upon the next step of their employment journeys.
Throughout the celebratory event, the audience heard about the young people’s tremendous achievements.
This year, DofE also celebrates its 70th anniversary and Gold Awardees will soon be invited to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Buckingham Palace where they will have the once in a lifetime chance to meet His Royal Highness Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as other celebrity guests.
David Hammond, Executive Director for Communities and Housing, presented some of the awards on the evening.
Quote: The dedication and engagement of our young people who have given their all to their Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteering and expeditions over the last year is incredibly inspiring. We are immensely proud that North Ayrshire Council is on the map with the highest numbers ever for enrolments and full DofE Award achievers – this is testament to the hard work that everyone has put in. Thank you to all of the local award leaders, teachers, head teachers, volunteers, parents, guardians and support workers who have championed our DofE recruits. Over the past year, our young people have clocked an incredible 7,189 volunteering throughout their communities, generating a social value of almost £46,000 for the local economy. Not only does DofE help to prepare young people for the next chapter of their lives, it is also a brilliant opportunity to make friends, develop new skills and gain confidence. Well done to all and good luck to everyone progressing towards their next DofE award levels in 2026.
Quote from: David Hammond, Executive Director for Communities and Housing
If you are a young person who would like to get involved, speak to a school teacher, youth worker or Duke of Edinburgh representative in your school or local community centre to find out how you can be part of the action too.
Published: 30 March 2026