I completed my own DofE, Bronze, Silver and Gold, when tents were made of canvas and had wooden pegs but no built in ground sheets! After qualifying for teaching I started a DofE Unit in school, over 100 Gold, 50 Silver,and over 100 Bronze awards to the pupils in the unit. Over this long time I have many happy memories, some funny stories, and was lucky enough to meet the Duke on several occasions at Buckingham, Holyrood and St James Palaces and at Chester Race Course! He was a wonderful man, able to put one at ease with his first sentence and someone who spoke to you as though you were the only person in the room. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Award the Platinum Award was introduced, doing this enabled me to relive the experiences of my own Awards so many years ago. We will miss the Duke, a talented, inspirational and thoughtful man who gave his all for others and kept going though thick and thin to 'get things done'. His legacy is not only those who have completed or been involved with the Award, but all their parents, carers, siblings and children . Thank you Sir.