Awards all around for over 50s

This year’s Discovery Awards evening was held at the Airdrie Town Hall, with 90 people attending.

The awards are similar to the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and offers challenges and adventure to people aged over fifty years old.

Organised by North Lanarkshire Council and Community Learning and Development, the purpose of the event was to present Discovery Award certificates at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels, to participants for all over North Lanarkshire.

Councillor Jim Logue, explained: “Each level of award takes a year to complete, and the Discoverers have to complete four sections – Community Service, Hobbies, Educational Activities and Outdoor Pursuits or Journey of Discovery before they are awarded the appropriate level. Community services projects have included working in the Citizens Advice Bureau or charity shops, knitting clothes for a Romanian orphanage and working in an OAP lunch club. Journeys of Discovery have included historical trips to Skye and Orkney and visits to the Scottish Parliament.”

Provost Jim Robertson added: “I am delighted to be invited to the award ceremony. North Lanarkshire Council is committed to working with, and supporting health activities for the 50 plus as a priority area of work, along with the Reshaping Care for Older People Initiative. It is gratifying that so many Discoverers are progressing from Bronze to Silver to Gold awards and stay with their group even when they have completed their second Gold award.”

The Discovery Award for learners aged 50+ has been in operation for six years in North Lanarkshire.

The scheme currently has members in groups throughout North Lanarkshire.

It takes each participant, on average, approximately five years to achieve the Gold Award level.