My mother died when I was 14 and we went to live with my brother 20 years my senior and start a new school in a new County. He had done the Award in Malaysia in the 1960s when he was stationed with my parents in the RAF. He encouraged me to give it a go; I might enjoy it... and I never looked back.

I was enjoying a wonderful day out in the hills if Cumbria when I heard HRH Prince Phillip - The Duke of Edinburgh had died.

Through the DofE Award I found and developed my love of hiking, walking, bimbling, climbing, caving, camping, exploring (-and drinking!)

I achieved my Gold Award in 1993
and chose Lancaster as my university and home town, and made countless friends along the way - all because of the scheme established by him in the 1950s.

RIP Sir, and thank you.

Pictures:

Gold Practice expedition.
Blencathra, Cumbria - October 1992