THREE teenagers struck gold in an award scheme aimed at developing young people’s skills and fulfilling their potential.

Katey Ikin, Emily Plumb and Mairi Hale travelled to London to receive their Duke of Edinburgh gold awards at a ceremony at St James’ Palace.

Katey, 17, from Moulton, 19-year-old Emily from Davenham and Mairi, 18, from Hale, were among hundreds of young people from across the country who received the accolade.

The girls achieved their bronze, silver and gold awards through Moulton Adventure Group, and their co-ordinator was Michael Hubbard.

Katey is an engineering apprentice at Cygnet Group based in Wincham, where she started in December.

She has just completed a level three BTEC extended diploma in engineering, and will be continuing through to her HNC in engineering in September.

Mairi has just finished her second year at Sir John Deane’s College, and is hoping to go to The University of Liverpool to study marketing in September.

Emily has just finished her first year at Loughborough University, where she is studying sport science.

For the volunteering category of the award they completed 12 months at the adventure group.

For the physical section Katey undertook six months of circuit training at Dave’s Gym in Northwich, Mairi did six months of pilates and Emily did hockey for 12 months.

Katey took part in the Young Enterprise scheme for 12 months as her skill, while Mairi and Emily did cookery for 12 months and six months respectively.

Katey and Mairi undertook practice and real expeditions in Snowdonia, and Emily’s were in the Peak District and Snowdonia respectively.

For their residential sections they took part in the adventure group’s annual camp.

“It was good fun, and the best memories are the friends you make,” said Katey.

“There have been some gruelling challenges, particularly on the expedition, and one of the main things I gained is the value of team work.

“It was an exciting day at St James Palace, and although you cannot go any higher than the gold award, from September I will be starting to learn how to be a Duke of Edinburgh leader.”