DUKE’S GOLD

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30887, 21 October 1965, Page 2

DUKE’S GOLD

First In Chch.

Miss Valerie Pruden, the first member of the Girls' Life Brigade in New Zealand tn be awarded the Duke of Edinburgh gold medal, was presented with her award by the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) at a ceremony last evening She is also the first girl in Christchurch to receive the gold medal.

Miss Pruden will receive the accompanying certificate from the Governor-General at Government House on November 10. A lieutenant in the 17th Christchurch Company, Miss Pruden is a teacher at Elmwood School. She qualified for the award after compressing the usual six-year course into two years, gaining her bronze award in March, 1964, and her silver in November, 1964, and completing the work for her gold last June. How to acquire a home and entertain friends was Miss Pruden’s choice in the design-for-living section of the project. Her hobby of photography was her choice for the interests section, and she took a course of six lessons in printing and developing, completing a series of 12 child studies and 12 land and seascapes for her log book. A pass in adult-level homenursing and first-aid examinations fulfilled the service sections, and sketching and photography expeditions to Arthur’s Pass completed the adventure section.

Additional requirements for the gold award included service to the community, Sunday school teaching, six months as a cadet leader, work at a church coffee club, entertaining old folk, courses in every day nursing and youth leadership.