Students at Portfield School enjoying the Bronze and Silver Awards of the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme will now be able to progress to Gold, thanks to a donation from Valero Pembroke Refinery.

Duke of Edinburgh Pembrokeshire and Portfield School were very grateful to receive a kind donation of £2,000 from Valero Pembroke Refinery earlier this month, as part of Valero's annual £10,000 donation to the world's leading youth development programme.

Portfield School has thriving Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award groups with many pupils successfully completing both awards. The school is now going to set up a Gold group so that pupils can access this highly prestigious award, which is presented to successful recipients in St. James's Palace in the presence of HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex or HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh himself.

As part of the Gold Award, pupils must spend five days and four nights away in an unfamiliar environment carrying out constructive activities and learning new skills - the Valero donation will be used to ensure that all pupils wishing to attend the Residential and complete their Gold Award can do so.

Valero public affairs manager Stephen Thornton, said: "As a Gold associate supporter of the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in Wales, it is amazing to see the positive impact Pembroke Refinery's support has for young people across Pembrokeshire, such as this donation for pupils here at Portfield School with the expansion of the Gold Award scheme."