Taking on the DofE Awards was perhaps the most challenging, exciting and adventurous thing I had done in my childhood. From learning new instruments like the piano and guitar, to getting chased by a very angry herd of cows after crossing a private boundary in the Peak District, it was an absolutely life-changing experience. Through the DofE Awards, I was able to make change and help in my own community by volunteering, the way HRH Prince Philip was changing the country and the rest of the world.

The expeditions themselves were my highlights when completing the awards. Despite twisting my ankle multiple times, getting caught in a very steep flooded valley and getting stung by all the nettles England had to offer, I learnt what it meant to have perseverance, resilience and strength - things I would not have learnt without the DofE Awards. These are skills I now carry with me as I study to be a doctor, and it would not have been so were it not for HRH Prince Philip and the DofE Awards.