Dumfriesshire teenager Duncan Bolling was among a handful of young people from across the UK to be presented to Prince Edward at a Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme celebration event in Buckingham Palace Garden last week.
The 19-year-old from Brydekirk completed his gold award two years ago but the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to the planned formal presentation in London during May 2020 of the scheme’s top award.
The former Lockerbie Academy pupil, now studying acting at Norwich University of the Arts, said it was worth the two-year wait to enjoy the celebrations and was thrilled to be chosen to chat to the Earl of Wessex, who plays a leading role in the scheme started by his late father.
During the week, a record-breaking 12,000 gold award holders attended the first Duke of Edinburgh’s Award celebrations since the pandemic began – but only a few were chosen to meet the Prince and tell him personally what the scheme had meant to them.
Organisers had picked up on the challenges Duncan faced as “a person with autism” including “great difficulty bonding with other young people.”All were impressed that Duncan felt the activities to reach his Gold DofE Award status had given him “purpose” and helped build his confidence as he learned new skills.
A former pupil at Brydekirk Primary, Duncan said: “It was an honour to meet HRH The Earl of Wessex. DofE was a life-changing experience for me – it pushed boundaries I didn’t even know I had.
“I still get flashbacks, even three years after achieving my gold. I remember the rain, the snow, the gut-retching thought at 4.30pm in the afternoon that there’s still another five miles to go. But the sense of achievement made it all worth it.
“I’m very grateful for all that I’ve been through and the friendships that I made along the way. DofE, most importantly, gave me purpose throughout my teenage years as I struggled, being autistic, to create bonds and friendships. I was pushed through, by this scheme, to keep up my activities and keep learning new skills.”
Duncan worked during last summer at Annan Cinema and from that secured a job at City Cinema in Norwich, to supplement his income during studies. He hopes one day to be seen on the cinema screens and also to return to DofE as an ambassador for the scheme which has helped him so much in his personal development.
He added: “The postponement of the DofE Award celebration back at the beginning of the pandemic was a huge disappointment. The chance to attend one of the first events and meet Prince Edward, as we recover from these terrible two years, has been even more memorable and special.”
Duncan made full use of the event to hear from inspirational speakers and get to meet celebrities such as Levi Roots, chef Matt Tebbutt and actress Nina Wadia – who gave him advice on his dream of entering the acting profession.
The DofE celebration event was attended by Duncan and his proud mum, Lynda, who said: “The
experience of the DofE event at Buckingham Palace Garden was a true celebration for all who attended, young people and parents alike. It is a very good feeling to see things return to more normal and our young people able to lead the lives they deserve.”
