Sheila Cragg (nee Smith)
I did my Bronze and Silver awards at a local youth club, then moved to a different youth club for the Gold Award.
I enjoyed the experience of meeting people from all walks of life, the adventures, and the opportunity to expand my horizons. My experiences gave me self confidence in my abilities and made me a more rounded person. It was character building. I learnt that you should always follow your dreams and ignore the detractors. It was this attitude distilled in me that lead me to leave a job in London in the early 1970s and to go back into university to gain my Masters Degree at Salford, where the Duke of Edinburgh happened to be Chancellor at the time. If I had not had the experiences of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, I might not have had the confidence to do it.
I was also sent to an international youth camp in Scotland in the summer of 1966. This residential course was funded by Hampshire County Council. I wonder if I had been chosen to attend as I was still completing my Duke of Edinburgh award.
I particularly enjoyed the expeditions, and it gave me a taste for travel.
Since then I have been on an overland trip to Kathmandu, and returned to walk in the footsteps of the Himalayas. I have always had a love of travel, and of wildlife so most of my overseas trips are tailored to these interests.
When I received my award at Buckingham Palace in the late 1960s, I was accompanied by both parents as at the time the Duke of Edinburgh gave the awards in the gardens. The Duke was talking to a boy behind me who had learnt to play an instrument. As he was talking to him, the Duke of Edinburgh demonstrated the actions of playing a trombone, with his arms going backwards and forwards. In dong so, he nearly knocked my hat off, much to the consternation of the ladies in his party accompanying him.
I would recommend the scheme to all young people, as it provides so many opportunities, and who knows where they might lead.
I enjoyed the experience of meeting people from all walks of life, the adventures, and the opportunity to expand my horizons. My experiences gave me self confidence in my abilities and made me a more rounded person. It was character building. I learnt that you should always follow your dreams and ignore the detractors. It was this attitude distilled in me that lead me to leave a job in London in the early 1970s and to go back into university to gain my Masters Degree at Salford, where the Duke of Edinburgh happened to be Chancellor at the time. If I had not had the experiences of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, I might not have had the confidence to do it.
I was also sent to an international youth camp in Scotland in the summer of 1966. This residential course was funded by Hampshire County Council. I wonder if I had been chosen to attend as I was still completing my Duke of Edinburgh award.
I particularly enjoyed the expeditions, and it gave me a taste for travel.
Since then I have been on an overland trip to Kathmandu, and returned to walk in the footsteps of the Himalayas. I have always had a love of travel, and of wildlife so most of my overseas trips are tailored to these interests.
When I received my award at Buckingham Palace in the late 1960s, I was accompanied by both parents as at the time the Duke of Edinburgh gave the awards in the gardens. The Duke was talking to a boy behind me who had learnt to play an instrument. As he was talking to him, the Duke of Edinburgh demonstrated the actions of playing a trombone, with his arms going backwards and forwards. In dong so, he nearly knocked my hat off, much to the consternation of the ladies in his party accompanying him.
I would recommend the scheme to all young people, as it provides so many opportunities, and who knows where they might lead.
