A TEENAGER from Crudwell has followed in her brother’s footsteps by receiving a gold Duke of Edinburgh award from Prince Philip at a star-studded ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Ashleigh Wiggins, a 17-year-old student at Malmesbury School, went to the Palace last month to pick up the award where she met BBC weather presenter Carol Kirkwood, who was one of a host of well-known faces to present awards.
As part of the award Ashleigh volunteered at Athelstan House care home for more than three years and completed a gruelling expedition in Wales that culminated in climbing Pen y Fan in thick fog and rain with a 15kg rucksack.
Ashleigh said: “It was a truly wonderful occasion with incredible weather.
“It was a huge rush to get there as I had a further maths A level exam that morning, I left school at 11am and had to be at Buckingham Palace for 2.15pm. "
In receiving the certificate, she matched her brother Niall, who was given his award in February 2015.
“My brother’s presentation was at St James’s Palace so it was nice to go to a different venue.
“We were very lucky to have Prince Philip congratulating and talking to our group.
"Carol Kirkwood handed out the certificates and gave a very inspiring and entertaining speech.”
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