Prince to honour man of Steel

PROUD: Alex Steel, of Wainui, will get a right royal greeting on Monday.

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Christchurch special-needs student Alex Steel will get a right royal greeting when Prince Edward hands him a gold award next week.

The Queen's youngest son will fly into Christchurch on Monday to begin a four-day New Zealand visit.

He will attend ceremonies for the Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Awards in Christchurch, Wellington, Taupo and Auckland.

Steel, a 21-year-old student at Ferndale School in Merivale, has worked for four years to complete the range of tasks needed to earn the award.

He has been on outdoor expeditions, planted trees, trained at the gym and helped at a foodbank to graduate from the programme, which aims to build skills and broaden horizons for 14 to 25-year-olds.

Steel will be one of 94 gold award recipients at the St Andrew's College ceremony on Monday. He will collect his award alongside four other Ferndale pupils.

Steel's father, Duncan, said the awards had "worked wonders" for his son's confidence.

"If they'd told us three or four years ago Alex could do half of this stuff, we would have been sceptical," he said.

"The social development has been wonderful and shown us what he's capable of. He's doing things even he didn't think he was capable of."

Steel's parents will not see him receive the award because they will be running in the New York Marathon tomorrow. An aunt will travel from Sydney for the ceremony.

Ferndale deputy principal James Griggs said he introduced the programme to the school four years ago.

"They do get certain allowances [being special needs], but we haven't done them any favours," he said. "We've pushed them pretty hard.

"It boosts their personal fitness, self-confidence and ability to work with a team. They're really proud of where they've got to, as are we."

Prince Edward is scheduled to arrive at Christchurch International Airport about 3pm on Monday. He will go to the International Antarctic Centre to see the penguins and talk to young people who have worked in Antarctica.

PRINCE EDWARD'S TOUR:

Monday: Arrive 2.55pm. Visit International Antarctic Centre; Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Awards at St Andrew's College.

Tuesday: Award ceremony at Linwood College; lunch with Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker; fly to Wellington for another awards ceremony; dinner with Prime Minister John Key.

Wednesday: More awards and a visit to Weta Workshop; fly to Taupo for Duke of Edinburgh Award World Fellowship Dinner.

Thursday: Fly to Auckland; more awards and lunch with British New Zealand Business Association; dinner at Government House; departs from Auckland.

- © Fairfax NZ News