FOLLOWING the death of Prince Philip, a 79-year-old Knutsford resident has looked back on receiving one of the first Duke of Edinburgh gold awards in Cheshire.
John Fuller was 18 when the Duke of Edinburgh presented him and his three friends with their gold awards - supposedly among the first young people to complete the full three-year course in the county.
The Duke of Edinburgh award, founded by the Prince in 1956, is open to those aged between 14 and 24 with bronze, silver and gold award levels.
It involves helping the community and the environment, becoming fitter, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and, for the gold award only, working with a team on a residential activity.
John, along with Peter Mullins, Kenneth Tongue and John Drinkwater completed the programme at Knutsford Youth Club.
A newspaper article from the Knutsford Guardian on May 12, 1960, read: “Four of Knutsford Youth Club’s top sportsmen join with club leader Arthur Waite in looking at the invitation they have to received to go to Buckingham Palace next Wednesday to receive their Duke of Edinburgh gold awards from the Duke.
“The boys are the first to complete the full three-year course, much of which comprises athletics.”
John looked back on completing the programme with fond memories and described Knutsford Youth Club as ‘the place to be’.
“They had put a notice up on the notice board at the youth club about the Duke of Edinburgh Award and we all saw it and thought we’d have a go at it,” John recalled.
“This is what you did in those days, there were no computer games or phones.
“You had to do fitness, a hobby, public service and an expedition.
“We all took first aid with the St John’s Ambulance and then for the gold award we did the Advanced Red Cross.
“For my hobby, I built an aviary and bred budgies.
“For the expedition you got a map with map references and a compass.
“In the bronze award you just went out for one night and I remember we went around Beeston and Peckforton.
“For the silver, it was three nights and the gold it was five - it did nothing but rain the whole time.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here