I completed my gold DoE in 1980. I have many happy memories of expeditions, great laughs and fun and lots of new challenges. One of my friends had her rucksack packed with tins of food to last the weekend, you can imagine the weight of her rucksack. Whilst in the Ochil hills in Scotland on our Gold expedition I met my now husband of 37 years. He was assessing walk on behalf of the Girls Brigade in Newtownards, N.I.

Both my father and mother-in-law ran the DoE scheme for youth organisations and then the Open Award for Adults until they were in their 80’s.
Thank you HRH Duke of Edinburgh.