A Bumper Year for Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards at Bishop's Stortford College

Published on isbi School News dated Friday 21st of October 2016

Bishop’s Stortford College are proud to announce that over 100 pupils have achieved certificates this summer as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards programme. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award requires commitment, perseverance and determination; never more so than this year, as programme co-ordinator Gill Lynch explains; ‘The expedition section is usually the favourite part of the award. The participants can explore the countryside of Britain or beyond, learning to become independent as they navigate themselves around scenic areas of the country. However, weather conditions this year made this section of the programme more challenging; while Bronze groups enjoyed warm, sunny conditions, the Silver and Gold groups endured days of continuous rain.’ Volunteering is an important part of the Awards programme. Pupils have been involved in helping the elderly, working with Amnesty International and working in local charity shops. Fundraising has also been a popular activity. For the Residential section of the Gold Award, a team of participants travelled to Malawi to help build and decorate classrooms in the remote region of Dedza. Others chose to volunteer at camps closer to home or to extend their skills at university taster courses. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award offers many challenges and exciting opportunities for young people, and the programme continues to thrive at Bishop’s Stortford College, one of the region’s most successful testing centres.