Earlier this month, Ben and Benji travelled from Warrington and Tarleton, Lancashire to attend the bi-annual Gold Award celebration event, which was held in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, and met with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward who congratulated the young adults on their achievements.
As the highest level of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Gold Award requires individuals to complete a programme made up of multiple sections including 12 months of volunteering, four days of expeditions and a five day overnight residential where participants must undertake a shared activity.
Ben, who is autistic and uses a technological device to aid his communication, spent two years working towards achieving the Gold Award. During this time, he volunteered at the Hope Centre in St Helens, that supports people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, by completing weekly food collections and sorting donations.
Ben also undertook multiple challenging, but rewarding, expeditions including one across the Yorkshire Dales, where he demonstrated great resilience and leadership to support his peers as they battled the elements before crawling through underground streams to go caving.
Commenting on his experience of attending Buckingham Palace, Ben said: “I really enjoyed the day at Buckingham Palace. I even used my communication aid to greet Prince Edward by saying ‘Good afternoon Your Royal Highness’.”
Benji spent 12 months working towards the Gold Award and when asked if he enjoyed the experience Benji gestured with a thumbs up and gave a big smile.
Ascent Autism Specialist College, which supports the learning and training of young adults between the ages of 16 to 25, launched its Duke of Edinburgh programmes in 2022 to huge success. To date, 38 students have achieved the Bronze Award and 23 students have achieved the Silver Award.
Julliet Doherty, head of adult services at Ascent Autism Specialist College, said: “All of us here at Ascent College are extremely proud of Ben and Benji’s achievements. Both are remarkable young adults who have demonstrated immense commitment throughout their journeys in completing the programme.
“They are an inspiration to all our students, 14 of which are currently working towards their Gold Awards too following Ben and Benji’s success.”
Through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, Ascent College provides its autistic students with an enjoyable programme that supports them in developing the key knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for life and employment.
In a recent Ofsted inspection that took place in March 2025, the college was praised for its “well-planned personal development programmes” that support students to “become more confident and resilient.”
Ascent Autism Specialist College is part of the Remarkable Autism Charity. The charity supports autistic individuals aged five to 25 through integrated services, including Wargrave House School and Sundial Therapy.
CEO of Remarkable Autism Charity, Robin Bush, added: “At Remarkable Autism our ambition is to support and empower all autistic individuals to fulfil their potential and we have one ultimate aim - to leave a lasting legacy of happiness.
“I am delighted that Ben and Benji were able to celebrate their incredible achievements at such a prestigious event. It’s clear to see from the photographs at the palace, they had a wonderful time and that’s what it’s all about.”