A new chapter in the history of youth charity JLGB took place in January when HRH The Earl of Wessex was guest of honour at an event that drew an 800-strong crowd to Kensington and Chelsea Town Hall, celebrating the achievements of over 3000 Jewish young people who have participated in their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) over the past five years.

There was an air of excitement as Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, entered the Great Hall amidst the JLGB Band's musical fanfare. Youth hosts, Abigail Shine, 17 from Loughton, and Manchester University student Daniel Lever, 19, from Bushey, welcomed everyone and then Trevor Pears, Executive Chair of The Pears Foundation, introduced The Earl.

HRH, The Earl of Wessex said: "Thank you for inviting me to join you in this fantastic celebration of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the role of JLGB in providing this for an extraordinary number of years, since the very beginning. It is a fantastic achievement - thank you for what you do in making the Award accessible to so many young people over the years and by all the specialist work you have done in the Jewish community. I am very, very proud of that relationship that we have and you should be heartily proud of the achievements of the JLGB."

JLGB's kosher DofE programme is supported by The Pears Foundation and provides a culturally sensitive expedition service with kosher food which does not breach the rules of observing Shabbat to over 50% of young people at mainstream Jewish schools with nearly 800 young people signed up this year to take the challenge of DofE.