Ingleton mum hits out at scrapping of Duke's awards (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Ingleton mum hits out at scrapping of Duke's awards

8:58am Monday 3rd October 2011 in Ingleton news

A MUM has spoken out against a decision to axe funding for the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme.

At a meeting of the Craven Area Committee, Ingleton woman Vicky Sawyer criticised North Yorkshire County Council for cutting funding for the silver and gold awards.

Her daughter, Tina, has been involved with the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, which is a programme of practical, cultural and adventurous activities designed to support the personal and social development of young people aged 14 to 25.

Mrs Sawyer said she had only recently been made aware of the “cost-cutting proposals” as the consultation had not involved those most affected – the children, scheme workers and the huge variety of social and environmental projects that benefited from it.

She called on the county council to reach “a mutually beneficial point of improvement without the draconian and unilateral dismantling of the scheme”.

She said: “This is a crucial tool for our young people when competing in the university and job market and effectively prepares many young people for an adult life that teaches them how to ‘give back’.

"It is not outdated, snobby or unpopular. It is a highly-regarded measure of a young person’s attitude to life.

“Many schools cannot spare the extra budgetary demands of providing this award themselves and families in Craven do not have the means to fund their children’s awards personally.”

In a bid to gather support, she has organised a public meeting at Skipton Youth and Community Centre on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

“We need to find out the strength of feeling and whether people want to do something to get the county to change its mind,” she said.

Stephen Loach, democratic services officer for North Yorkshire County Council, said: “The county council acts as an operating authority for the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and it will continue to support schools who do the Duke of Edinburgh awards.

“The silver and gold awards have been suspended to concentrate on the bronze award part of the programme.”

He hoped youngsters could access the silver and gold awards by other means.