I started my DofE at Mexborough comprehensive school in South Yorkshire. I enjoyed the expeditions doing my bronze award so much that I then joined the Air Cadets where I subsequently achieved my silver and gold awards.

I have very fond memories of completing my gold expedition in the Lake Distrct during a very hot summer.

I fondly recall meeting the Duke of Edinburgh at St James Palace when I was presented with my Gold award.

I really feel the DofE started me off on a lifetime of adventures. I went on from the Air Cadets to join the University Officer Training Corps at the University of Sheffield where I trained to be a nurse.

I then joined the Territorial Army where over a 14 year period I served on two operational tours of Afghanistan as a nursing officer and became a avid rock climber and mountaineer climbing in Scotland, the Alps, Canada and Nepal.

My husband is a outdoor enthusiastic and he proposed as we wild camped in the Lake District. We now share our love of the outdoors with our daughter.

I appreciate that my first taster for the outdoors came from the DofE and I really appreciate what they has given me in life.

Thank you so much