I was introduced to the Duke of Edinburgh's award when I was 17 and undertook a number of memorable challenges along the way to gaining my Gold Award in 1973.
As a member of the Sea Cadets from the age of 14, I developed a sense of adventure that would help me achieve my award. I sailed the North Sea and English Channel, for three weeks, on board The Sir Winston Churchill and was able to take part in the Tall Ships Race from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. I also visited the Channel Islands of Sark and Guernsey and had runs ashore to take in the culture and sights.
I also spent a week in one of our Training establishments, in Port Talbot, where I undertook and passed my Master Coxswain's course, following 12 months of training in each of the craft. The course was to show that I could handle a variety of boats using sail, oars and engine.
My Physical experience was taking part in sessions of circuit training to certain standards but this led me to becoming a Physical Training Instructor and eventually a Staff PT Officer.
My expedition was the most demanding, which took place on Dartmoor in Late September. My first attempt was a disaster as we ran into horrendous weather and were beaten back to base camp to regroup and plan our next attempt. This was, again on Dartmoor and we had very similar weather but our training and the knowledge of our doomed attempt saw us through. This was the last section in my quest for the Gold Award.
I was honoured to be invited to Buckingham Palace, when we had presentations inside rather than the gardens. I remember attending in my naval uniform and the cheeky wit of HRH was such that he asked me if I was in the Air Cadets. A most memorable 4 Years culminating in my award and being asked to sit on the Bristol Youth Committee and the Gold Award holders association.
Since those formative years I have been involved in delivering the Award, now as DofE Manager for the Sea Cadets for 52 years.