Going for Gold, thanks to generous donation

Sporty students from Derwen College, in Gobowen, are gearing up for their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions, thanks to the generous support of Hartey Wealth Management. The Oswestry-based firm has twice donated in recent weeks, empowering students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to push their limits and achieve their goals.

As part of the Charlotte Hartey Foundation, this week, Hartey Wealth Management donated £682 towards Derwen College’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, adding to their previous contributions. Inspired by students’ stories, the company felt compelled to extend their support even further, and have now given a total of £1,364 to Derwen Charity.

Students Lizzie and Dylan, who are both talented swimmers representing Team GB in Down Syndrome Swimming, visited Chairman Karl Hartey at the Oswestry office to express their gratitude. The sporty duo will be trading their goggles for hiking boots as they take on a four-day expedition in Snowdonia, walking up to six hours a day as part of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards.

Karl Hartey, patron of the Charlotte Hartey Foundation, is a keen sportsman himself and was delighted to support the students in their fitness and health challenges.

“I know Snowdonia well, having used it as a training ground for my charity climb up Mount Kilimanjaro,” Karl said. “Hearing that Dylan and Lizzie are also national sports champions is the icing on the cake. I can’t wait to hear all about their adventures in Snowdonia.”

Earlier this month, Karl and his team met Brendan, a student who will be participating in a sailing expedition. Brendan’s enthusiasm and the impact of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on his life inspired the team to support even more students.

Steve Evans, Sports Coordinator at Derwen College, expressed his gratitude for the donations totalling £1,364.

“It’s important to us that every student who want to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards is able to. We work hard to break down barriers to success, including financial ones. The Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award would be a sizeable cost if it wasn’t for funding support. Thanks to kind sponsors like Hartey Wealth Management, we can provide these life-changing experiences.”

To find out more about Derwen College’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards programme, or to find out how you could support our students through Derwen Charity, visit the website at www.derwen.ac.uk.