A STUDENT from Pembrokeshire Military Academy has scooped an award for his commitment to conserving the environment of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Seventeen-year-old Ricky-Lee Everest, from Haverfordwest, was awarded a trophy at the inaugural Radio Pembrokeshire Young Achiever Awards, during a ceremony at Folly Farm on Friday, November 15th.

The Commitment to the Environment award was sponsored by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA), open to anyone under 30 who had shown commitment to keeping the landscape and wildlife of Pembrokeshire special.

Ricky, who hopes to join the Army, was nominated by Andrew Desborough, his Pembrokeshire Military Academy course tutor at Pembrokeshire College.

Andrew listed some of the volunteer projects Ricky was involved with, including: building a pond-dipping platform with the National Park Authority, doing a beach clean with Darwin Science, re-painting outdoor benches at Withybush Hospital, re-painting play houses and sheds at Pembroke Dock Community School, and various projects with St Davids Care in the Community and the National Trust.

Picking up the award, Ricky said: “I’m totally shocked to win and I was bouncing off the walls with excitement when I found out.

“I’m committed to helping the environment as it’s a way of learning more, to do something valuable to help and to get more experience to be able to do better in life.”

Chairman of PCNPA Cllr Mike James said: “Ricky is such a deserving winner. This is a young guy who has combined his love of getting active and involved with doing what’s right for the environment.

“He has helped so many people with projects around the National Park and across the county. With dedicated, enthusiastic individuals like Ricky around, it gives me confidence that the future of the Park environment is in safe hands.”