The Outdoor Place Gold Graduation
Truro Cathedral hosted a heart-warming celebration on Friday 23 September.
An extraordinary group of young people from The Outdoor Place completed their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in COVID times and were deserving of a special ceremony.
Recipients traditionally attend a service at St James Palace where they would be able to bring just one guest. A backlog of post-lockdown events meant the event couldn’t take place, but by moving the occasion to Truro Cathedral, they were able to share the experience with their family and friends.
They received their award certificates from James Williams, Vice-Lord Lieutenant, and specially crafted medals from Hugh Nelson, Bishop of St Germans. The event also featured live performances from Jake Harrison, Lilly Wells, and PicNMix.
Canon Alan Bashforth said: “We have all sorts of grand occasions and functions at Truro Cathedral, and they engage with people in all sorts of different ways. Some of the best are those that simply warm your heart, when you know that the right thing is being done, and when it is simply a privilege to be there. The Outdoor Place, gold graduation, simply smashed it when it came to hitting all of these goals.”
Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, James Williams, said: “It was such a life-enhancing occasion; I was so impressed by the young people, and especially by their confidence”.
Charlotte Mackrill, MD of The Outdoor Place, said: “I would like to say thank you to everyone involved at the cathedral in making such a wonderful presentation event. I always believed it was going to be an inspirational evening, but never quite realised just how fantastic it would be. The young adults receiving their awards were most certainly given an evening to remember and the supporting groups (Picknmix and ASONE Hub) brought the whole evening to life.
“It has been a long journey (for some over six years, from starting Bronze to completing the Gold Award) but what will probably be the most rewarding of their lives to date. As I mentioned on the evening, this is not the end of the journey, and I personally am looking forward to what each and every one will now go on to achieve in life. A fantastic and inspiring group of young adults who have definitely shown what can be achieved and I hope inspire so many more in the future to 'never give up', as quoted by the young adults themselves.
“Congratulations to all and thank you for allowing me to enable you all on such an amazing journey.”