Mina
I did my Gold DoE Award back in the 1990s when I was in my work experience year from University.
The different components of the scheme meant that I had to push myself in uncomfortable situations and build resilience. I remember when I was doing my residential at a care home and I had to feed, clean and change a disabled man for a week. Something that has changed and shaped my attitude towards people less fortunate than myself.
My practice expedition was at the Brecon Beacons and I remember getting lost in the thick fog that came down very quickly. I had wandered for the toilet and couldn’t find my way back to the tent. It would have been only for a few minutes which felt like an eternity. I have never felt that scared but after the first moment of panic I knew that if I didn’t move someone would hopefully eventually find me. I sat down and prayed to God. I can’t remember how things ended - think the fog lifted enough to see that the tent was just 20 metres away - but I did find my team back and completed the proper expedition with a sprained ankle. I was determined to gain my Gold Award.
Then there was the invitation to St James Palace. It was an experience of its own to go to the palace and meet Prince Phillip himself. It is an honour that he took the time to meet all the gold award holders back in the days and chatted to us. He would have met thousands of young people in his long time as patron of the scheme and touch each one of them as we have a story to tell.
I share the story of meeting Prince Phillip at St James Palace with my husband who is also a Gold Award holder. He was heavily involved in the scheme in his own days with holding the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and being an assessor for the expeditions at his secondary school.
Now both our boys are currently doing the awards - one at Bronze level and one at Silver level and it is a fitting tribute to the Prince that they were doing their expeditions the weekend of his death.
The different components of the scheme meant that I had to push myself in uncomfortable situations and build resilience. I remember when I was doing my residential at a care home and I had to feed, clean and change a disabled man for a week. Something that has changed and shaped my attitude towards people less fortunate than myself.
My practice expedition was at the Brecon Beacons and I remember getting lost in the thick fog that came down very quickly. I had wandered for the toilet and couldn’t find my way back to the tent. It would have been only for a few minutes which felt like an eternity. I have never felt that scared but after the first moment of panic I knew that if I didn’t move someone would hopefully eventually find me. I sat down and prayed to God. I can’t remember how things ended - think the fog lifted enough to see that the tent was just 20 metres away - but I did find my team back and completed the proper expedition with a sprained ankle. I was determined to gain my Gold Award.
Then there was the invitation to St James Palace. It was an experience of its own to go to the palace and meet Prince Phillip himself. It is an honour that he took the time to meet all the gold award holders back in the days and chatted to us. He would have met thousands of young people in his long time as patron of the scheme and touch each one of them as we have a story to tell.
I share the story of meeting Prince Phillip at St James Palace with my husband who is also a Gold Award holder. He was heavily involved in the scheme in his own days with holding the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards and being an assessor for the expeditions at his secondary school.
Now both our boys are currently doing the awards - one at Bronze level and one at Silver level and it is a fitting tribute to the Prince that they were doing their expeditions the weekend of his death.
