In 2009 over 9000 hours were spent by young people completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and helping in their own communities.
On the 9th July 42 young people from Neath Port Talbot and 30 support staff arrived at Dartmoor to complete their final Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition.
It requires participants to walk in groups, often carrying all their equipment, covering a total distance of 50 miles over the four days for sometimes up to 10 hours per day. The conditions for the expedition were extremely challenging with poor visibility and heavy rainfall.
A young Gold Award achiever said “After completing this I believe I can do anything, it has been the hardest thing I have ever done but the best feeling of achievement ever. I never knew what teamwork meant now I understand that if you stick together you can do anything. I can’t wait to come back and help other people have the same experience.”
All aspects of the walk is monitored by an external assessor to ensure the expedition meets the requirements of the Gold Award. The dedicated staff praised the youngsters for their determination and commented on how humbling the entire four days had been watching the young people push themselves to their limits physically and emotionally.
Neath Port Talbot Council Leader Ali Thomas said “Neath Port Talbot continues to lead the way with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Wales with the highest number of awards gained and the most successful open gold centre in the country.
“Thanks to our dedicated team and committed young people, a number of authorities are now looking to Neath Port Talbot to learn from our excellent example.”
