Adventure and fun as UIV pupils power through their Bronze DofE expeditions

DofE Bronze is the entry level of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and sometimes can mistakenly seen as easy. It is not so, and it provides a suitable challenge to the participants in terms of navigation, independence, camp craft and team work. The expedition element can, and does, provide a whole new challenge as participants have to negotiate tiredness, navigation mistakes, cooking as a team and making decisions as a group. It remains an attractive qualification to employers who continue to request young professionals that can work as a team and solve problems together, not individually.

Congratulations to all the UIV who completed both their practice and assessed expeditions. It was a fantastic effort by everyone. I would like to share three letters from students who took part in the expeditions. I think they encapsulate some of the best parts of the week teams spent together, and many of the reasons why I look forward to this week every year.

Alejandra M: ‘Completing my DofE expedition was it was definitely an experience I will never forget – and one of the most fun things I have ever done, mainly because I got to do it with six of my friends. We spent so much time together, laughing, talking, and helping each other through the challenges. Making those memories was the best part of the whole trip. Even when we were tired, we always found something to joke about. We shared snacks, played games when we had free time, we made up our own songs and made lots of memories that I know we will all remember for years to come. Being surrounded by my friends made the difficult parts feel much easier because we were all going through the same experience together.

However, DofE was definitely not easy. Walking long distances while carrying a heavy backpack was much harder than I expected. Some of the hills seemed never-ending, and by the end of each day my legs and feet were not what I thought. The weather wasn’t always perfect either, which added hardness to the challenge, but I would not change a thing.

Even though it was painful at times, it taught me a lot about perseverance and teamwork. Whenever someone was struggling, the rest of the group would encourage them to keep going. We supported each other throughout the expedition, and that helped us all reach the finish line. Completing the challenge gave me a huge sense of achievement and showed me that I am capable of more than I thought.’

Minna H: ‘The main challenge was the walking – about six hours a day. It sounds manageable at first, but it definitely adds up. By the end of each day everyone was pretty tired, but it also felt like an achievement getting through it. That said, there were loads of good moments along the way. Being outside for that long was actually really nice at times, and the walking gave us the chance to properly talk instead of rushing around. We ended up getting closer as a group without really noticing it happening. Overall, it was a really good experience – tiring at times, but worth it, and a nice break from a normal school week.’

Chloe W: ‘One of the most memorable parts of my Bronze DofE expedition was experiencing the beautiful views and spending time in nature. Throughout the walk, I was amazed by the scenery around us, from the rolling hills and open fields to the peaceful countryside. These views made me realise how incredible nature is and how lucky we are to have such amazing landscapes to explore.’

As well as the scenery, I enjoyed the fun experiences and conversations we shared as a group. Even when we were tired, we laughed together and created memories that made the journey much more enjoyable. These moments helped us work as a team and kept everyone’s spirits high.’

Mr Hugo Corripio-Lopez, DofE Bronze Leader