Derby Deaf Students Share Personal Exchange With Prince Philip

Sponsored by The Duke, who supports the DofE charity, Jake and Adarsha participated alongside numerous young individuals and their families in a festival-like event at the Buckingham Palace Garden on Friday, May 9th.

The event was among four celebrations spread across two days at the Palace, honouring more than 8,000 youngsters from various parts of the UK. These individuals demonstrated exceptional determination, ingenuity, and tenacity in completing their Gold Duke of Edinburgh award through schools, community bodies, youth clubs, and work environments.

Jake and Adarsha, who completed their DofE award at the Royal School for the Deaf in Derby, were among only a few young individuals to have a personal conversation with The Duke during the event.

In his Gold Skills segment, Jake acquired knowledge about animal care; for the Physical part, he took pleasure in jogging; and for Volunteering, Jake dedicated his time to preparing meals for the school.

In his Gold Skills segment, Adarsha acquired knowledge about animal care; for the Physical part, he focused on enhancing his fitness and jogging; as for Volunteering, Adarsha assisted younger students, similar to both Jake and himself, who resided at the Royal School for the Deaf.

After Jake spoke with The Duke, he remarked: "This is an extraordinary experience—to be standing in London at Buckingham Palace meeting The Duke of Edinburgh under such pleasant conditions. All my efforts have paid off as I’ve finally attained my Gold Award. Being here is incredible! There’s a wonderful ambiance."

Adarsha stated, "My sentiments exactly; it’s incredible to be at Buckingham Palace and encounter His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh. Presently, excitement courses through me, though upon arrival, I must admit I was quite nervous. Being here is delightful, and overall, I am elated."

The Buckingham Palace Gardens were turned into a festive event for youngsters and their families, featuring large deckchairs, banners, and various garden games and activities. During this gathering, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh—who was awarded his own Gold Award by his father, Prince Philip, at St James’s Palace back in 1986—addressed the crowd with remarks made from the palace's West Terrace.

Participants were able to listen to renowned DofE Award recipients and other motivational speakers, including TV presenter and chef Big Zuu, Olympic oarswoman and Gold DofE recipient Imogen Grant, SAS: Who DaresWins star Jason Fox, The Traitors participant Mollie Pearce, and television personality Dr Ranj Singh, who spoke across various areas of the garden.

Chelsea and England women's football player, as well as a holder of the Silver DofE award, Hannah Hampton, gave an uplifting speech from the West Terrace moments before Jake and Adarsha encountered HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. She shared her story saying, "I'm a sportswoman today; however, this wasn’t originally part of anyone's plans—not even mine. Born with strabismus, I had several surgeries on my eyes which led doctors to inform my parents that due to lacking depth perception, careers like becoming a pilot or neurosurgeon weren't feasible for me. Naturally, I opted for what seemed the closest fitting profession—becoming a professional footballer, specifically a goalkeeper."

“It would have been easy to accept my limitations. However, I never did like to take the easy path or be told what I could or could not do. In my heart and mind, I knew that I could prove them wrong and overcome their doubts. I learned something that all of you know deeply: Resilience isn’t just about being strong – it is about refusing to give up when things get tough.

“What you have done with this award is far more than a tick on your CV, or a certificate for your wall. You have trained your mind to believe that obstacles are not ‘stop signs’ – they are just detours on the way to something greater. As someone who was told ‘no’ but chose to find a ‘yes’, I want you to carry this with you, wherever life takes you next: you are capable of so much more than you know. Let this be a launch pad—not the finish line.”

The Gold Duke of Edinburgh award is a non-competitive individual undertaking available to all youngsters, requiring at least one year to finish. Participants design their own plans encompassing tasks across five areas: Physical, Skill Development, Community Service, a five-day residential stay, and a four-day expedition.

Karen Hassall, who leads the Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme at the Royal School for the Deaf Derby, commented: "Jake and Adarsha both showed great determination to achieve all three levels of the DofE awards. They stayed well-organised and actively supported one another throughout, even during tough times—like when Jake assisted Adarsha with carrying his backpack after injuring his knee. One challenge was navigating using only visual signals to find sources of water or judge traffic flow based on sounds since these elements weren’t always directly observable due to obstructions like vegetation. Given that communication within the team happens via British Sign Language (BSL), participants frequently have to look away from their environment towards signers."

Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive Officer at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, stated: "We feel truly honoured and privileged to recognise our exceptional Gold Award recipients within the grounds of Buckingham Palace today. Witnessing countless delighted expressions alongside gratified relatives present has been heartening—rightfully so, since these individuals exhibit remarkable tenacity, inventiveness, and confidence. Earning this prestigious Gold DofE Award endows them with invaluable life skills—and it brings joy to observe how they share stories from their journeys, enjoy themselves, and deliberate about upcoming aspirations."

Last year, more than 342,000 young individuals embarked on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme throughout the UK — marking the peak since our inception almost seven decades ago. This figure underscores the significant desire among youth for extracurricular activities outside traditional schooling. Alongside our dedicated volunteers, collaborators, and advocates, we aim to engage 1.6 million young participants by next spring—ensuring an increased number of young people have access to transformative experiences through the DofE.

The charity recently announced record-breaking participation numbers In 2024/25, 572,802 young individuals participated actively, among whom 342,412 embarked on their Award journey. These dedicated participants contributed an impressive 5.2 million hours of volunteer work, which has been valued at approximately £33.4 million.