I missed out on doing D of E awards as a teenager, so when the Diamond Challenge initiative happened in 2014 this was my opportunity as an unfit middle aged woman to do something different.
I combined the Diamond Challenge with the Thames Path Challenge. Other than a short walk as part of my daily commute, I did not walk much so signed up in April 2014 to complete a 100km walk along the Thames Path from Putney to Henley over 2 days to take place in the September. Naturally this meant lots of walking training over next the 6 months and my wonderful Cocker, Oscar, walked every training mile with me.
Completing the challenge was a huge achievement for me and I raised over £1,000 for a charity close to my heart. I still wear my Diamond Challenge hoodie and pin with pride. I do hope D of E enables similar opportunities for us 'oldies', who, for whatever reason, were unable to work towards rewards when young. Just thinking about 2014 fills me with pride and boosts my self esteem. D of E has a lot to offer all of us.
Thank you D of E