This year, we have had record numbers of Year 9 students participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. To achieve the award, students must complete 3 months of volunteering, skill and physical activities of their choice before continuing one of these sections for a further 3 months. They also complete a challenging two day expedition in the Yorkshire Dales, walking between Conistone and Bolton Abbey and camping at Appletreewick.
During this calendar year, our Duke of Edinburgh participants have completed 923 hours of volunteering. This work has a social value of £5907 to our local community. Students have volunteered with a range of charities including our Common Good Schools projects.
In June, our students braved the rain to complete the expedition section of their Bronze Award. As they set off from Conistone, they cheered on competitors in a local half marathon event.
Students navigated a challenging route from Conistone to Appletreewick on day one, planning in regular breaks. Despite the frequent rain showers, they remained positive and worked well with their expedition groups. On arrival at the campsite, they pitched their tents and began cooking their evening meal. Groups cooked a range of nutritious meals ranging from pasta to noodles and burgers. The most impressive meal was chicken in a homemade lemon and chilli marinade, paired with rice and vegetables. Special mention to the group who prepared a full Indian banquet including naan breads.
They then spent some time relaxing at the campsite and preparing for the second day of their expedition. On Sunday morning, many groups were up at 7.00 ready to take on the second day of their expedition. They prepared breakfasts including cereals, pancakes and a variation on ‘Spamislog’ – a Filipino dish incorporating rice and Spam. After breakfast, they took down their tents and repacked their rucksacks.
Students finished the weekend with a scenic walk from Appletreewick to Bolton Abbey. We were relieved that the weather was better than forecast and students reached the finish at Bolton Abbey with smiles on their faces. Once there, many of them enjoyed a well earned ice cream in the sun!
