I started my DofE Gold process, having not done either the bronze or silver awards. To be honest I had minimal camping or walking experience. I decided to jump in at the deep end and give myself a pretty major challenge. I would say the most challenging part of the whole experience was the walking expedition. The whole team became good friends during and after the expedition. What I learnt from the experience is the value of teamwork, and the value of being able to enjoy the outdoors. It also taught me a good deal about resilience and not giving up. I found it very fulfilling to do the volunteering side as well. For me it was doing Combined Cadet Force, I was able to do both teaching and leading, I was very happy to be able to give back to a club I had enjoyed for many years. Overall I found DofE one of the best experiences of my life so far, and I am very proud to have completed it.