I have many happy memories from completing my Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh awards. I remember getting lost on one of the early expeditions and finding a "path" on the map that was barely a path. We were all full of adventure and took this path anyway and it brought us much closer together as a team. I remember doing a cooking afterschool club for Bronze where they taught us how to cook a multitude of different meals and then asking each other team what they were cooking and working out very quickly we were all cooking pasta! I remember wanting to do my silver award so much that I did the practice expedition with a different school and got to meet lots of new people and make lots of friends. On my silver practice I remember walking through the same village as I had walked through on my bronze assessed expedition and laughing lots about the irony. I remember starting my Gold award because I was due to be on a lifesaving camp as a participant but couldn't join in in the same way as I was on crutches so I joined in as an instructor and started my Gold award with the residential. I remember having to wake up at 2 am to start sailing the channel for my Gold expedition and yet everyone was so excited for the challenge! I could say many more stories about things I loved from doing these awards. Each award has helped me to grow in confidence, being part of community and have new and exciting adventures. The awards have helped me develop independence as you tackle new situations with only a handful of others.