Our wonderful Duke of Edinburgh’s Award participants have now all successfully completed their practice journeys. Our Bronze groups ventured to Ermelo, while the Silver groups took on the challenge of Mondim de Basto. Our Gold participants played an important role as mentors and guides, supporting the teams with navigation and teamwork, an effort that was greatly appreciated by all.

Only a week later, and with little time to recover, our Silver participants embarked on their next adventure in Gerês. Over the course of their expedition, they spent two nights camping, completed a day of voluntary work, and undertook two days of hiking. A key highlight was their work supporting the region’s natural biodiversity: planting native saplings and removing invasive mimosa species. Students commented on how this experience brought their science learning to life in a meaningful and memorable way.

All groups have performed exceptionally well, and we could not be more proud of their resilience, teamwork, and enthusiasm. Our Bronze and Gold participants are now looking ahead with excitement to their qualifying journeys.

A huge thank you also goes to the dedicated staff team who have supported both the training and the adventurous journeys. Their commitment has made these experiences possible.