The Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award recipients welcomed to Holyrood Palace

Edinburgh Reporter

13 hours ago

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh welcomed 600 young people to the Palace of Holyroodhouse on Friday morning to celebrate their Gold Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Awards, saying to them that they should all be 'incredibly proud'.
The young people have worked to gain their awards in schools, youth groups and at work all over Scotland.
Gardens at the palace were transformed with giant deckchairs, bunting, garden games and other activities.
VIPs in attendance included Eilish McColgan the Olympic athlete, singer Nathan Evans and Scottish actor James Cosmo.
Eilish said: 'There are many similarities between the DofE and my athletics club. Not just in the obvious areas like hard work and discipline, but that sense of community. Being surrounded by likeminded individuals, all striving to make themselves better.
'In 2011, I ran in my first ever live televised race. Dreaming of qualifying for the world championships. But with 600m to go. I heard a pop. I knew instantly I'd broken my foot. But me being me, and a typical stubborn Scot, I wasn't going to let a broken foot stop me. I kept running.
'Sadly, it wasn't the fairytale ending. Finishing the race came at a cost. A few days later the surgeon told me I'd never run professionally again but suggested I could 'hobby jog'. It was one of the toughest moments of my life, but like many of you on your DofE journeys, I'd learned the value of resilience, of showing up, and of not giving up when things get hard.
'I think if I didn't have my friends from the running club to distract me, my recovery would have looked very different. Instead, I really leant on my support network. Even when I couldn't run, I'd still go down to the track just to keep my motivation high. I truly believe that made a huge difference.'
Eilish told the crowd that the resilience of the DofE 'stays with you' and 'whatever comes next, remember this: you're running your own race.'
She said: 'As you move on from your DofE journey into your next chapter – whether that's university, work, or something completely different – I really encourage you to find that 'DofE feeling' again. Finding your people, your place, your purpose – it matters more than we often realise. You've proven what you're capable of once, and you'll do it again, and again.'
A Gold DofE Award is a major achievement – young people spend at least 12 months honing new skills and talents, planning and completing an expedition and residential, and volunteering for a cause they are passionate about.
Helen Anderson, Director for Scotland, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, said: 'It's a real honour and a privilege to be celebrating our amazing Gold Award holders in the gardens of The Palace of Holyroodhouse today. I've seen thousands of smiling faces and proud family members looking on – and rightfully so, as these young people have shown extraordinary perseverance, creativity and self-belief to be here. A Gold DofE Award will equip them with lifelong skills – and it's wonderful to see our Award holders sharing their experiences, having fun, and discussing their plans for the future.
'Last year, over 20,000 young people started their DofE in Scotland, showing just how much appetite there is for enrichment opportunities beyond formal education. Together with our volunteers, partners and supporters, we want to reach as many young people as possible – so that even more can take part in a life-changing DofE Award.'
In Scotland 33,816 young people actively took part in the DofE in 2024/25, 20,363 young people started their DofE, and participants contributed an incredible 351,156 hours of volunteering – with an estimated total value of £2.2 million.
EIlish McColgan
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh speaking with young people who have achieved their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
Singer Nathan Evans
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
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