A 14-year-old girl has won praise for completing a Duke of Edinburgh awards programme in six months – which just 3 per cent of participants manage to achieve.

Hannah Chowdhry, a student at Kantor King Solomon School in Forest Road, Ilford, started the awards programme in November and became the first youngster in her group to complete it.

Hannah, of Chigwell, signed up for the DofE programme with the Jewish Lads and Girls Brigade (JLGB), a youth charity offering faith sensitive expeditions which respect the Sabbath and Kosher dietary laws.

The teenager, who is a Pakistani Christian, opted for the bronze award which on average takes participants a year to complete.

Marsha Kay, JLGB’s Duke of Edinburgh’s award administrator, said: "This is a remarkable achievement. JLGB have helped 1098 successful candidates to complete their DofE since the online system started in 2008.

“Hannah now becomes one of only 34 candidates to have her Bronze DofE sections ratified in 8 months which is a testament to her drive and ambition. Hannah is notably our first Pakistani Christian to be certified on the programme and we wish her every success for the future.”

Hannah thanked the JLGB advisors for being “extremely helpful” throughout the course and has now set her sights on the DofE silver award which she hopes to complete with the help of the charity.

She said: "My journey through the DofE programme with JLGB has been very rewarding,

“I have learned many new skills including business administration, accounting and international humanitarian aid through the many volunteer roles I have undertaken, while completing my award.

"I also feel that two day expedition and football course I took for my physical development has improved my fitness and endurance levels.”

Supported by the Pears Foundation, the JLGB has increased Jewish participation in the DofE awards by 400 per cent in Jewish faith schools, with over 4,000 Jewish young people from across the UK signing up in the last five years.

Founded by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956, the programme aims to give young people independence, a sense of achievement, self-confidence and leadership and teamwork skills.