I started my Gold award when I was studying uniformed services at college, they didn’t run the award there so I found a local group. It was really challenging but since doing the award it has helped me in so many ways. Once finished the award I was invited to Buckingham Palace and I met Princess Sophie and Levi Roots, I then received an email asking if I would like to volunteer at DofE events, I put my name down thinking thousands would apply. But a few weeks later I was asked to be a VIP host at St.James’s palace showing the chief guide around and meeting lots of celebrities, gold award holders as well as The Duke of Edinburgh himself. I was then invited to attend my local award ceremony at my old secondary school and was asked to speak about my experiences to about 200 people - scary! My college was so impressed that I was doing all of this alongside my course that they asked me to write a case study and show them how others can do the award. They now run DofE alongside the course of people wish to join in. I am hoping later this year to become an assessor or a supervisor so I can help the next generation to do the same as I did.