Tim Shiles

I am one of three DofE Leaders at 20th Sheffield Scout Group. This is our first Gold team after they had just completed their qualifying expedition in August 2017: 4 days, 55 miles (88 km) with 9455 feet (2882 metres) of ascent. I think the range of facial expressions says it all!

The DofE Award was not available to me as a youngster. I first became involved in 2012 as a parent helper, assisting the famed Molly and Norman Gill with my son's Gold practice and qualifying expeditions. It was this experience that inspired me to train as a DofE Leader, Expedition Supervisor and Gold Assessor. Since we started to offer the Award to our Explorer Scouts in 2016, 11 have achieved their Gold and 30 have achieved Silver, and we currently have 55 who are working towards their Awards.

The DofE Award has given me an additional sense of purpose in life. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the young people develop in confidence throughout their DofE journeys and it is a great excuse to get out on the hills for a few days each year, not that I ever need one though!
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