I completed all three stages of the DoE award when I was at school. I'll never forget the sense of wonder and achievement after completing the expeditions - a particular highlight was spending 4 days in the Lake District, at a time one local described as "the wettest period in the past decade, and that's saying something!"

Meeting the Duke of Edinburgh himself for the the awards ceremony at St James' Palace was also an unforgettable experience. The Duke made myself and all my classmates laugh - he asked us what our plans were, now that we were 18 and had finished school. Most of us were off to University or travelling, but one man was still living at home as he was starting work in his family business. The Duke replied - "well I hope you're paying your parents rent!"