I ran the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the car industry in Oxford for fourteen years from 1965. Apprentices were given the opportunity of joining the Scheme while completing their apprenticeship. We were possibly the largest employer based Scheme in the country and the possible highlight was in 1972 when HRH visited us at Cowley to meet Gold Award holders, those working towards the Awards, helpers and management from the Company. The Company’s support for the Scheme demonstrated the value of developing the total person.
Many of the participants have said how they enjoyed their participation and how it helped them in their life going forward.
Some enjoyed new experiences of interest, one young man decided to take up a football refereeing course and went on to referee in the First Division(now the Premiership), he also ran the line at a European Cup Final.
Expeditions were carried out in either the Lake District, Peak District, Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. Irrespective of how tired the apprentices were on completion of expedition, they were never too tired to get a football out and start playing when they were back at base camp.