I so remember doing my Duke of Edinburgh gold award when I first started my full time job at BT. For service I went to the fire station every week and then held safety awareness sessions to groups, being very shy I hated presenting but this did help with my confidence, as the new skill I attained my GCSE in German. I attended a residential course paid by BT at Poole, and we did team building sessions like making rafts, walking, canoed and sailed out to the island and biffawacked( first time in my life), for the physical skills I did circuit traing. My vivid memories of training at Pen y fan every Sunday with my friend Rachelle (also doing the award at the time) eating either Welsh cakes, Tiffin or Kendal mint cake at the summit. We actually couldn't do the expedition as planned as I was very little the size 8 so we did walking every day and also did an indepth project on the area, which was in the Black mountains. We investigated the area including Dan yr ogof caves.

It was quite a commitment whilst full time working in my early 20s. I look back now in the time knowing I learnt so much and gained a lot of confidence for such a shy girl.

My mum and I along with Rachelle and her mum went to St James Palace to collect our awards I think in 1996. Lesley Ash and other celebs were there and the Prince Philip came in to talk to us in a circle. I remember him making is all laugh and I felt at ease as I didn't realize how short he was like me.

We had such a good day and my mum was very proud of me and we have always cherished the memories of that day and appreciated all those that helped me achieved it.

I hope when my 10 yr son is old enough I hop he will do all of the Duke of Edinburgh award from Bronze to Gold. He has already started committing to things like Beavers and Cubs.