That it's possible (and even quite nice) to lie on soil to sleep, eat warm slop from a trangia, walk abit..summit a hill..and then a mountain (and all this in rain sodden conditions) remains curious to me. It is entirely thanks to HRH Prince Philip and his DofE scheme that I discovered that home (a roof with a bed; a roast dinner with cutlery; the walk to school) and everyday life is treasure. I could so, so easily have never known the riches.

It is entirely thanks to HRH Prince Philip that I couldn't seem to shake this curiosity in (relatively) extreme living. As a Gold Award holder I was accepted as a Raleigh International Venturer and did the whole thing again but worse (for longer, higher, further.) More pain (and gain-which btw includes a hubby!!) Together we have worked and travelled and summited and now our children are DofEers (and I continue to volunteer for RI.)

And so DofE shapes our lives still. Crucially, my career as a Fine Artist Painter would never be happening if I hadn't built up a DofE inspired resilience for life's wildness as well as a love of the freedoms of the outdoor world (my paintings are wild and landscapey.) Prince Philip knew what he was doing and I, like thousands of others, am wealthy proof (and I don't mean in the material sense.)

Thankyou for the opportunity to say *thankyou*
RIP HRH Prince Philip and Long Live DofE