Charlotte Henderson

On the 2nd June 2016, my DofE journey began, I was now a DofE staff member. On my first few days, everyone spoke about our gold award presentations. Knowing I love organising events, I'm not always keen to be at the front steering them. I prefer to be 'the geek behind the events'. My line manager at the time, said I would get to go. It wouldn't be until November / December. I was so nervous I might not get to see the Prince Philip. One day, he said to me "Charlotte, I need to talk to you, can we go to the ground floor office?" Only been with the charity for nine short weeks, I was nervous. We headed downstairs, sat in the ground floor meeting room, talking away. When all the sudden, he said if I was you, I would get up turn around, look through the window, there he was HRH Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip leaving Windsor's head office. I got to see him. Few more weeks went by I went to my first award presentation. I was very nervous, but I got to sit, listen to Bill Bryson speak and then see Prince Philip walk in talk to the crowd. On leaving the room, he smiled, my line manager said, "we're the privileged ones, because we get to see Prince Philip, talk to crowds, crack jokes, award so many on their Gold Award." I went to many more palace events after this. I've worked for the charity nearly five years now. His legacy, passion, dedication, will carry on with us. All of us will honour his memory and his commitment to young people now & for future generations.
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