Melissa Bell
I completed my Gold D of E Award at Kings Manor School in Shoreham by Sea in Sussex, England in 1977.
Through the group, I established so many exceptionally good friends, many of whom are still in contact with each other today despite the group being scattered around the UK and me in New Zealand. We all have incredibly good and happy memories of our Gold Award activities through which we built incredibly strong bonds.
The expedition we completed on Dartmoor was character building and I learnt so much about teamwork and the importance of friendship....we had so much fun as well as completing a very success exercise!! Our assessors said that if we were still laughing at the end we would definitely pass....we most definitely were!!
Our group was led by a great bunch of school tutors; Lawrie Arnold, Steve Duke (RIP), Mike Shreeve and Mrs Moon.
It was an honour to be presented with our awards at both Arundel Castle by Lavinia Duchess of Norfolk and later at Buckingham Palace by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, himself.
My sincere condolences to the Royal Family. I hope the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme continues long into the future as a tribute to a fantastic scheme for young people.
Through the group, I established so many exceptionally good friends, many of whom are still in contact with each other today despite the group being scattered around the UK and me in New Zealand. We all have incredibly good and happy memories of our Gold Award activities through which we built incredibly strong bonds.
The expedition we completed on Dartmoor was character building and I learnt so much about teamwork and the importance of friendship....we had so much fun as well as completing a very success exercise!! Our assessors said that if we were still laughing at the end we would definitely pass....we most definitely were!!
Our group was led by a great bunch of school tutors; Lawrie Arnold, Steve Duke (RIP), Mike Shreeve and Mrs Moon.
It was an honour to be presented with our awards at both Arundel Castle by Lavinia Duchess of Norfolk and later at Buckingham Palace by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, himself.
My sincere condolences to the Royal Family. I hope the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme continues long into the future as a tribute to a fantastic scheme for young people.
