A SAILOR who has dedicated nearly 25 years to helping youngsters with their Duke of Edinburgh Gold award was honoured at a ceremony.
Lieutenant Keith Kirkbright, 57, of Melksham, was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh's commendation at the Bishop's Palace in Wells.
After Lady Gass, Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, made the presentation, Lt Kirkbright said: "It was a great honour, after more than 24 years of hard work on the scheme, to be recognised like that.
"I do this because it's good to put something back into helping young people and I love it because the kids I meet are superb."
Lt Kirkbright, who joined the Royal Navy in 1963 as an engineer, has been assessing young people from local schools and Bath Air Training Corps in the Welsh hills since 1979 as they work for gold awards.
He judges whether they have raised themselves to a high enough standard of expertise during their expeditions.
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