A SELKIRK woman has visited Buckingham Palace to collect her Duke of Edinburgh Gold award.

Olga Burt-Smith attended an event hosted by the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, on May 16.

The former Selkirk High School pupil, who is now studying linguistics at Newcastle University, was invited to the prestigious gathering after several years of hard work and volunteering.

The 20-year-old was awarded Bronze and Silver Awards with the help of Jim McPherson and Gordon Smith in Outdoor Education.

A Gold DofE programme is a demanding, non-competitive personal challenge, open to all young people.

It takes a minimum of 12 months to complete.

Young people build their own programmes with activities in five sections – physical, skills, volunteering, a five-day residential and a four-day expedition.

Olga volunteered at Borders Pet Rescue; attended a residential challenge at a language school in southern England and worked on dance and music performances.

Then, after a three-day practice expedition in the Borders, she completed a gruelling four-day wild camping trek covering around 20km a day over rough terrain in the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe area.

Olga said: “It was an amazing day at Buckingham Palace. We were all lined up and Prince Edward walked along and spoke to groups of us. He didn’t speak to me personally but we made eye contact and he smiled at me so that will do.

“I enjoyed volunteering at the Borders Pet Rescue near Earlston, walking dogs and cleaning kennels and completed a week long French grammar course which was worthwhile and really cool and I am now studying linguistics.

“The four-day expedition around Ben Nevis was tough, particularly after I sprained an ankle on the first day and lost a toe-nail on the second and got sunburnt as it took place in summer. There was seven of that took part, all from the Borders.

“I would recommend the Duke of Edinburgh scheme to everyone. I learned skills that I didn’t even know were skills and it has given me a lot of confidence."

Proud mum Jan added: “The news of her award has gone round the world. We have relatives in Australia and Singapore and everyone is very proud of Olga.

“It’s an honour that very few people have the opportunity to take, and for an achievement held by relatively few.

“It was a beautiful day at the palace and not stuffy at all. Everyone was so welcoming with military bands, garden games, beautiful walks around the lake and Garden Party tea and cupcake provided in a special Duke of Edinburgh cup.”