Your Gold Award badge or brooch will be posted to you in the month following your Gold Award completion and will be sent to the address registered on the ‘Gold Award celebration event’ page of your eDofE account. If you don’t receive your badge/brooch, please email [email protected].

Please remember to wear your badge or brooch on the day of your celebration event. If your guest also has a DofE Award, we’d encourage them to wear their badge/brooch too!

If you have chosen to receive your Gold Award Certificate through the post, this will be posted to you in the month following your Gold Award completion, with your Gold Award badge or brooch.

If you don’t wish to attend a Gold Award celebration event then you can request to receive your Gold Award Certificate in a bespoke certificate presentation folder. The folder includes a photograph of our founder HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and our Trustee HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh together at Windsor Castle, as well as a statement of congratulations from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh.

This unique folder is only available to those who choose not to attend a celebration event and isn’t available to purchase. You can choose to receive a folder at the time of achieving your Gold Award, or you can request to come off the invitation list and receive the folder at any time by emailing [email protected].

Gold Award events take place on weekdays and usually fall within term time.
In London, events usually take place in May.
In Scotland, events usually take place in June or July.
In Northern Ireland, events can take place at any time of the year.

You choose which location you’d like to attend your Gold Award celebration event in at the time of completing your Gold Award. If you wish to change your chosen location, please contact us by emailing [email protected].

Once your Gold Award has been approved by your Licensed Organisation and your DofE Regional/ Country office, you’ll automatically be added to the invitation list to attend an event at your chosen location.

You’ll receive an automated email once your Award has been signed off and the events team will subsequently be in touch to let you know when you should expect to receive an invitation to attend an event. Please ensure the details on the ‘Gold Award celebration event’ page of your eDofE account are kept up to date so that we can keep in touch with you.

We’ll invite you to an event as soon as possible. We want all Gold Award holders to receive an invitation to a celebration event within 12 months of achieving their Award, but please be aware that in some circumstances it may take up to 18 months from your Gold Award completion date.

Gold Award holders can remain on the invitation list to attend a celebration event for up to five years after they achieve their Gold Award. If you decline an invitation to an event, you’ll be returned to the invitation list and invited to the next available event in your preferred location. If you are unable to attend within five years of achieving your Award, you’ll be removed from the invitation list and instead receive a certificate presentation folder through the post.

As we were unable to hold celebration events for a significant period due to the pandemic, all Gold Award holders already on the invitation list who achieved their Gold Award prior to the end of 2020, can remain on the invitation list until the end of 2026.

In London and Northern Ireland, you’re permitted to have one personal guest accompanying you to your celebration event. If you attend an event in Scotland, you’re permitted to bring two guests.

Please check that we have the correct details for your guest and update them on your eDofE account as required – guests cannot be changed within four weeks of the event.

All guests must be over the age of 16.

We’re unable to accommodate requests for additional guests.

If you’d like to attend a Gold Award event with someone from your DofE group or a family member, please let us know when you complete your Gold Award by emailing [email protected].

Please make sure that you make us aware of any changes to your personal details, particularly your email address and home address, to ensure that we can get in touch with you about your event invitation. You can do this on the ‘Gold Award celebration event’ page of your eDofE account. If you don’t have an eDofE account, please email [email protected] so we can update our records.

You can make any amendments to you and your guests details anytime up to four weeks before your event date. For security reasons, after that time your personal details become locked. If you need to make any changes in the four weeks leading up to your event, please contact the events team to discuss your options.

Guests cannot be changed within four weeks of the event.

Security arrangements at Gold Award celebration events are strict but shouldn’t interfere with your enjoyment of the event.

To gain entry to the events, you will need to bring the following items for both you and your guest:

• Coloured admittance card.
• Two forms of identification – one must be photographic, and the other must confirm your address.

Due to security restrictions, it’s essential that the first and last name that we have on file for you and your guest exactly match the photographic ID that you’ll be bringing to your event. Shortened names shouldn’t be used. The address provided for both you and your guest should also exactly match the ID that you’ll be bringing on the day.

On the day all attendees are required to present two forms of ID upon arrival, one of which must be photographic. You must present one form of identification from both Box A and Box B. Please note that the police will also accept a Citizen Card or Validate Card as photographic ID. If you are not using your photo driving licence as your photographic ID in Box A, you can use it as your proof of address (Box B). Additional items valid for ID from Box B include official correspondence from the government, such as a council tax letter or polling card. If you or your guest do not currently have an approved form of photographic ID, please do make arrangements to obtain this prior to the event. No responsibility can be accepted by the DofE should you not meet the ID requirements and be denied entry.

Due to security restrictions, attendees will only be permitted to bring in a handbag or a small personal bag. All personal items may be subject to police searches. You’ll be denied entry if you bring large bags or luggage. Please note that there are no cloakrooms to leave coats or bags, so you will need to keep anything you bring on your person for the entire event.

As a special celebration event, there is a smart dress code – e.g., a suit, jacket and tie, dress or a smart alternative. Hats are optional but are not required. National dress is welcome. As you’ll be standing on grass for the event, we would advise wearing appropriate footwear.

Scouts, RAF Air Cadets, Army Cadet Force and other uniformed organisations are encouraged to wear their uniforms. For official military uniforms, the Royal Navy should wear No 1C Undress, the Army should wear No 2 Dress and the Royal Air Force should wear No 1HD Dress. Gloves, leather and medals shouldn’t be worn.

There are no changing facilities available at the events; those wishing to change into a uniform should make their own arrangements.

In the unlikely event of it being necessary to cancel an event due to unavoidable circumstances, the DofE cannot be held liable for any costs incurred to the Award holder or their guest. Depending on your travel arrangements, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance that covers UK travel and event cancellation. Please check your policy thoroughly to ensure that it covers your travel expenses and/or hotel costs.

01753 727431
[email protected].

(Monday – Friday 09.00-17.00)
Please do not call outside of these hours.