I am an award holder of Bronze, Silver and Gold, something I never thought I would achieve. Participating in the DofE has given me more confidence and valuable memories, from getting lost on expeditions and singing at the top of our lungs as we trekked to the fun and laughter with my peers every step of the way. I will always cherish my time doing the DofE.

I also completed the Diamond DofE challenge upon the 60th anniversary of the scheme by raising money to enable other young people to participate and get their award. This was a wonderful opportunity to give back to the community and help others realise their ambition.

Completing the DofE is one of my proudest achievements; something I will never forget. Throughout my time, the DofE has enabled me to participate in a wide variety of activities, groups and experiences. This has all made me a more confident, well-rounded person and has inspired me to continue giving back to my community through the continuation of my volunteer post taken up for the award and through outreach work, taking the study of history to schools. The skills I gained from the award, from team-working to adaptability have all helped me in my post-DofE life, both professional and personal.

DofE was an experience that one cannot always appreciate at the time, lost in the torrential rain and stuck in the mud. However, these are memories I now look fondly upon. Memories and experiences that have formed part of who I am, inspiring resilience and determination to keep trying and give back.