A reception was held at the Scottish Parliament to recognise the efforts of Friends of the Award

An Edinburgh charity is marking a milestone anniversary.

Friends of the Award (FOTA) is celebrating its 20th year of supporting young people to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Its work has been recognised by Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, who invited representatives to a reception at the Scottish Parliament this week. The event was attended by the charity’s trustees, staff members, volunteers and many others who have been involved over the years.

FOTA was set up in 1997 to help make the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) accessible to a broad spectrum of disadvantaged young people across the region.

By working closely with the City of Edinburgh Council outdoor education department, as well as partners from a range of provisions across Edinburgh and the Lothians, the charity has embarked on a range of youth projects.

Peter Wright MBE, who founded FOTA, said: “Enabling young people to achieve recognition for their own success, and to overcome life`s challenging circumstances along the way has been at the forefront of all that FOTA has done for the past twenty years. Our record in this is outstanding, and a great many young lives have been transformed thereby.”