THESE girls had good reason to feel pleased with themselves.

They had just received their Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The ceremony took place in 1968 in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour at Oxford Town Hall.

They are pictured with the Lady Mayoress of Oxford, Winifred Pickstock, on the extreme left, and the Deputy Lord Mayor, Air Vice-Marshal WF MacNeece Foster.

In fact, so many girls received awards that night that only some of them could fit in the picture taken for the Oxford Mail.

A total of 114 from all parts of the city received recognition.

Fifteen gold awards were handed out, as well as 30 silver and 69 bronze.

They were presented by Assistant Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, Clement Burrows, who had formerly been Chief Constable of Oxford.

The gold winners were given two extra treats – a civic reception by the Lord Mayor, Alderman Frank Pickstock, and later an invitation to meet the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace.

To gain their awards, the girls had to complete four sections – an occupation connected with themselves or their homes, a chosen hobby, an exhibition and public service.

At the Town Hall that night, many of their achievements were on show.

There were displays of country dancing, judo, fencing and public speaking.

Pride of place was taken by a sailing dinghy, which some of the girls had helped construct.

This promised not to be the last occasion when award-winning girls appeared at a Town Hall presentation.

At the time, it was revealed that more than 400 girls were taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, which was run in the city by youth officer Alison Layng.

Sadly, we don’t know any of the names of the girls pictured.

Can anyone name them? Let me know.