When I first qualified as a teacher in 2003 I was asked if I would like to help run our School DofE group, I agreed and straight away was attending training to help run expeditions. I was 23 years old and was asked if I had ever thought about participating in the Award scheme myself and would I like to work towards my Gold Award. I took up the opportunity and absolutely loved every minute of completing it. For my residential I kayaked round the Summer Isles in Scotland, my skill was photography, my fitness was running and my volunteering was helping to run the Bronze award at my School. Today, 17 years later having stayed involved in the award for all these years (including two years whilst I worked in Kenya where we walked through the Aberdares National Park on a Gold expedition) I am a DofE Manager and have seen hundreds of young people have amazing experiences finding their potential through challenging themselves. It is a remarkable award scheme and many, many lives have been enhanced from it. I achieved my Gold and I’m so very glad I did. Lots of amazing memories. I hope that my children will be involved in the future.