‘D of E awards changed lives’

IN 1956, Prince Philip created the Commonwealth Study Conference, and it was the first of its kind. It was something that picked industrialists and scientists and people from all walks of life, men and women.

Think about how unusual this concept was. Leadership that wasn’t just about leadership in government, it was about leadership in industry, liberal leadership and civil society, leadership and science leaders.

What Prince Philip did was that he saw there was going to be this new technological world and it had to be inclusive.

He was into computers and he was a modernist and a reformer and innovative thinker.

Prince Philip also highlighted issues about climate change long before it was fashionable.

The Duke of Edinburgh awards also changed people’s lives. It was for everybody, and that meant it was for the greatest and the least. There were people who were not academic, who did not have anyone to invest in them, to support them, and the Duke of Edinburgh awards did that.

It enabled people to take advantage of their inherent talents, it celebrated, it highlighted, it enabled them to have a outlet for inspirational innovative ideas that they would never have had.

Dame Kelly Holmes talks about how the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme gave her a sense of confidence that she would not have had. If you look at those who were most advantaged by that, they were those who were most marginalised.