TWO youngsters who completed their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award with help from the Okehampton Open Award Group have collected their certificates at a special ceremony.

Stacey Dufty and Jay Passmore were presented with their awards by Sir John Evans, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, at a ceremony at County Hall in Exeter on January 5.

Both Stacey and Jay were part of a team that completed their residential section and expedition sections in South Africa during August 2011, which was organised and run through the Okehampton Open Award Group.

Stacey completed the remaining sections with the Okehampton group, while Jay completed the remaining sections with the Devon County Council Foresting Team Duke of Edinburgh Group.

The Duke of Edinburgh scheme is a personal development programme undertaken as part of leisure time activities. It challenges young people between the ages of 14 and 25 to serve others, acquire new skills, experience adventure, and make new friends — young and old.

The Gold Award can take a number of years to achieve, taking most participants around two years. Each participant has to cover five different areas of achievement, including a volunteering project, skills, physical recreation, expedition and residential experience.

The Okehampton Open Award Group is planning another trip to South Africa for August 2014. If you are interested or are wondering how to complete your award when you have left school or college, please call award co-ordinator Chris Bourne on 07974 412326.