I was 15 when I started the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award with some of my school mates from Berry Hill secondary school in the Forest of Dean. It was a great experience and helped me with my confidence. Team work was very important on expeditions I went on to achieve bronze. I decided to take on the Silver award this was a great challenge and I was still at school. I did community work all this was recorded in the book. I remember walking on the expedition in the black mountains in Wales again you had to show some leadership skills to get to the destination I was with the same group as the bronze. We all had different subjects mine was rocks geology which I took a test of 20 questions I passed and was awarded the Silver in 1978 I was 16 years old. The experience as stayed with me I still have my badges and certificates. I left school shame I never did Gold. I can recommend this to anyone.