Sussex Duke of Edinburgh's Award teens get royal visit

Teenagers in Brighton are baking for charities as part of their DofE award

The Duke of Edinburgh has visited young people baking for charity in Brighton.

Prince Edward met teenagers at Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College who were volunteering for their Duke of Edinburgh's (DofE) Award.

Timothy, 17, who baked with the duke, said it was "amazing".

Ethan, also 17, said he chatted about the DofE activities with their royal guest and described how the teens were helping food banks in the city.

'More resilient'

Another student, Francine, 17, said she had been "forced out of her comfort zone" by the expedition section of the award.

She said: "I'm a home body, so going on an expedition with people I'm not very familiar with is a very new experience but it has definitely helped me become a more resilient person."

After meeting Prince Edward, she said: "He was lovely. He was just as I expected, a really nice person, just one of us really."

Young people are baking, rock climbing and training in football to work for their award

Following his visit to the college, the duke headed to Lancing to Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club's Elite Performance Centre to meet young academy footballers doing their DofE award alongside training.

He later met pupils from Hove Park School and Blatchington Mill School who are completing their DofE physical section at Boulder Brighton rock climbing centre.

The centre offers bouldering, which is a form of rock climbing where people take part without ropes over safety matting, so there are no knots or harnesses - described as the most accessible form of climbing for beginners.

Lily, 13, and her brother Raul, 14, from Hove Park School, were among the pupils the duke met.

Raul said the DofE scheme "helped everyone", particularly those who didn't go outdoors much, adding: "It's a good way for people to reconnect."

Lily said she had now been climbing for a year and had found a hobby that was a good way to exercise, meet people and have fun.

The Duke of Edinburgh met teenagers working on the physical section of their award at a rock climbing centre

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