Specialist further education college Derwen College was honoured to welcome a very special guest this week as His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, visited the campus in Gobowen, near Oswestry. Students, clients, staff, dignitaries, and supporters gathered on Tuesday, 18 March, to extend a warm welcome to His Royal Highness and show him the College’s unique ‘Marketplace’ and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Outdoor Centre.

During his visit, The Duke toured the dedicated Outdoor Centre, where students proudly showcased their skills that they have learned as part of their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme. His Royal Highness watched as students, with a wide range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), working towards their Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards, demonstrated activities. These included boarding the canoe simulator, scaling the traversing wall, and outdoor cooking around the firepit.

Following his time at the Outdoor Centre, The Duke explored the College’s remarkable Marketplace, where he met students and staff working in the College’s Garden Centre and Gift Shop, Walled Garden Café, and The Vintage Advantage charity shop. Here he took part in work-based activities with students, including making up a Derwen College hamper.

To mark the occasion, a celebratory lunch was held in The Orangery Restaurant, attended by special guests including His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire, Anna Turner; Shropshire High Sheriff, Brian Welti, Oswestry Deputy Mayor Councillor Rosie Radford and Shropshire Council Chairman, Councillor Vince Hunt. The event was also attended by community and business members who have generously supported students in taking part in walking, canoeing, and sailing expeditions.

The campus was alive with excitement, with students, clients and staff waving flags and proudly sharing their experiences with His Royal Highness. This visit marks a significant moment in Derwen College’s history, being the first royal visit since 1994, when the College’s patron, The Duchess of Kent, last attended.

Derwen College Principal and CEO, Meryl Green, said: “Receiving a visit from His Royal Highness was a huge honour for the whole college. We feel very privileged to have been able to highlight the work that we do to prepare young people with SEND for adult life.

“We were particularly proud to showcase our fully accessible Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Outdoor Centre  which has been developed over the 10 years the College has been running the Award, and ensures that young people with disabilities don’t miss out on the fabulous opportunities the scheme offers.

“It was also wonderful to be able to show His Royal Highness our unique Marketplace which is open to the public, and to demonstrate the exceptional real-life training opportunities this provides to our students in order to prepare them for the world of work.

“The visit was a fantastic occasion for all involved, which shone a light on the importance of the work  the College does every day to support young people with SEND.”

Students were thrilled to meet The Duke of Edinburgh. Student Council president Jonathan Wiltshire and deputy president Lizzie Allen were proud to share a table with him.

Retail student Jonathan demonstrated his work skills in the Garden Centre and Gift Shop by creating a hamper with The Duke, containing Derwen College-made jams and chutneys. After a quick change, he joined the celebration lunch, and later presented the Duke with a Derwen hamper.

Jonathan said: “His Royal Highness asked me about me work in Retail and helped to make a hamper with me using a planogram. He put us all at ease. It was a really proud moment for me and for the College.”

Lizzie, who is taking her Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, showed The Duke the outdoor centre climbing wall. She said: “I was so nervous but he was lovely. He even had a go on the traversing wall and was really good at it. I can’t wait to tell my family all about today.”

Derwen College Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards Coordinator Steve Evans was proud to show the Duke around the College’s outdoor centre.

He said: “Today was a proud moment for Derwen College. We have been taking part in Duke of Edinburgh Awards for 11 years now, and this is a wonderful celebration of all the hard work and commitment of students and staff over that time.”

The royal visit was a momentous occasion for the Derwen College community, celebrating the achievements of its students and clients, and reinforcing the importance of opportunities for young adults with SEND.

To find out more about how Derwen College offers unique opportunities that prepare students for employment and independence after college visit www.derwen.ac.uk

Picture credit: Stonehouse Photographic.