When I was at school in Northern Ireland in the early to mid 1980s I did the DofE Silver and almost all of the DofE Gold ( apart from my volunteering which I couldn’t finish due to going to Uni to study Medicine). I am now participating in the Award as a DofE leader. My best memories however are of the expeditions as a participant! Helped by our biology teacher and DofE leader Mr Uprichard!( a legend in his own lifetime)

The Silver expedition was the first time I’d ever stayed away from home overnight without my parents! This gave me a real sense of independence and adventure and inspired a lifetime love of hiking in the Great Outdoors and of camping!! We did Silver in the Mourne Mountains and Gold by bicycle around the Enniskillen Lakes. Some memorable moments were sleeping in a newly fashionable modern dome tent that leaked all night so we had to wear our waterproofs indoors! Also learning how to deal with a herd of cows blocking our road when we were on our bikes! ( I still don’t trust cows!)

We must have had a radio on our Silver as I can remember walking in the Mournes on a sunny day listening to True by Spandau Ballet. When I hear it play now it always brings me back!! (The sun wasn’t shining on the last leg of our expedition down the “Bloody Bridge River” in mist when we lost the path!!)

Yes, some of my happiest teenage days were spent doing the DofE with my good schoolfriends Anne, Debbie, Alison, Julie and Heather.

My own 3 sons have all done/currently doing the awards and I myself am now helping out as a DofE leader.
I have my Silver but I wish I could have finished my Gold- I get teased by my boys that I never got to complete the last bit! I have always said though that it was the experiences that mattered most to me and the award gave me those by the bucketful!

I am so thankful for the opportunity!