A 20-year-old from Oldham has been selected as a UK Youth Ambassador for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award during the charity’s 70th anniversary year.
Lewis Salloway joins 27 other Award holders aged 16 to 24 from across the UK. The ambassadors will share their experiences, speak at events, meet decision-makers and help shape the charity’s work.
Lewis first signed up for his Bronze Award through school. He is now working towards Silver at college and hopes to complete Gold in the future.
His Bronze activities included fishing and cooking, while his expedition at Anglezarke in Lancashire involved learning to pitch a tent, read a map and prepare meals for his team.
Reflecting on the experience, Lewis said: “DofE has helped me make new friends, meet new people, helped me to become more independent and gain new skills. It really has brought me out of my comfort zone.”
He has also become a student council representative, sharing students’ views with teachers about what works well at college and what could improve.
“I feel this is really important as it allows students to share their views and ensures everyone has a voice,” he said.
The Youth Ambassador programme is funded by The Gosling Foundation. Previous ambassadors have spoken at national events, met ministers and MPs, and contributed to decisions within the charity.
Ashley Williams, UK Youth Engagement Manager at The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, said: “Lewis has achieved incredible things through his DofE.”
The announcement and photograph were supplied by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.