Royal visit is cancelled for second time

The Duke of York was due to come to Leigh tomorrow to present some of the first bronze award recipients in the country of a new digital awards scheme that he set up.

This is itself was his second attempt at conducting the ceremony, the first having to be postponed with just hours to go because his helicopter was grounded by fog.

On that occasion the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Paul Griffiths, deputised, although in sending his apologies His Royal Highness did promise to honour the appointment at some point in the future. And that was to have been tomorrow morning.

But it was the weather which has again intervened. Final preparations were being made to welcome the Duke to the Turnpike Gallery in Leigh town centre when the announcement came through yesterday lunchtime that the meteorological conditions had caused a further postponement. A new date in late April has now been set.

iDEA is a digital and enterprise version of The Duke of Edinburgh award and both adults and young people can access the programme for free. Learning can be done in groups, as a family or individually from a tablet, phone or computer.

Wigan is the first local authority to roll out The Duke of York’s iDEA programme to residents and more than 40 learners have already achieved bronze awards. Learners complete a series of online challenges that carry points going towards the bronze, silver or gold awards.