I went in to my DofE Award thinking of it as a tedious task. But I ended up learning so much from it and it has shaped the person I am today. I went into DofE Award at a new school with new people and no one I really knew ,but with the relationships that developed with the people in my group I was able to feel more comfortable in my new school.

For my DofE Award I volunteered at a charity shop. It wasn't easy for me especially with anxiety and to be honest I dreaded it, despite the kindness of the people there. It's only now that I realise how this challenge helped me to overcome parts of my anxiety and develop valuable social skills that I'll use for the rest of my life.

My expeditions was similar story. Initially I was really anxious about going away from home for days with people who I didn't know too well. But over the course of my expeditions I got to know many members in the groups I was in and shared many memorable moments and conversations. I think more importantly the expedition sparked my love for nature and the outdoors. I am very grateful for this as I feel that it's allowed me to more deeply connect with the natural world.