HUNDREDS of children across Neath Port Talbot have received their Duke of Edinburgh Awards at a special presentation evening.

The evening – at Port Talbot’s Princess of Wales Theatre on December 14 – was hosted by former pupils from across the area, including the Amman and Swansea valleys, who also completed their Gold Awards whilst studying.

The hosts were Nicole Newton, a former Ysgol Dyffryn Aman pupil who is now working as a prison officer; Cian Gwilym who studied at Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera and is a teaching assistant; Aaron Williams who studied at Ysgol Bae Baglan and is now studying to be a doctor and Charlotte Britton, a former Llangatwg Comprehensive Student who is studying interior architecture.

More than 280 current pupils from across the county were given their Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards.

The Gold Awards were presented by Captain Huw Williams MBE, the deputy lord-lieutenant of West Glamorgan. The Silver Awards were presented by Neath Port Talbot Council’s leader Cllr Steve Hunt, council chief executive Karen Jones, Welsh Government’s minister for education and Welsh language and MS for Neath Jeremy Miles, Aberavon MS David Rees and Neath Port Talbot mayor Cllr Chris Williams.

The Bronze Awards were presented by Duke of Edinburgh award director for Wales Stephanie Price, deputy youth mayor for Neath Port Talbot Gracie Radmore, youth mayor for Neath Port Talbot Maddie Pritchard, council director of education, leisure and lifelong learning Andrew Thomas, and the council’s head of education development Chris Mills as well as cabinet member for children and family services Cllr Sian Harris, cabinet member for education and early years Cllr Nia Jenkins and council employability skills and poverty coordinator Angeline Spooner-Cleverly.

The Bronze and Silver awards are offered by many secondary schools in Neath Port Talbot, where dedicated leaders guide them through but the Gold award is accessed through the Open Gold Centre and it led by the local award development officer and volunteers.

Cllr Nia Jenkins said: “The Neath Port Talbot, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme provides an excellent opportunity to discover new interests, gain confidence, build new relationships, work as a team and much, much more.

“Award scheme winners gain an experience they will never forget, it’s something which will have an impact on them for the rest of their lives.”

The Bronze award can be started by pupils in year nine which then progresses to Silver, with Gold completed before the age of 25. Anyone between those ages can do their Duke of Edinburgh Award regardless of ability, gender, background or location.

To find out more visit www.nptdofe.co.uk or contact the NPT Youth Service who coordinate the award for the county.