Congratulations to Everyone
3 places being offered to Cheshire Border 14+ girls
Cheshire Border was well represented
Other news & events
If you would like any further information about the Duke of Edinburgh's Award please contact us.
Service
Physical recreation
Skill
Expedition
Use an existing skill or learn a new one
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Administration Team Members Click Here |
What is it?
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a challenging and fun programme of activities which offers opportunities to learn new skills, help others, experience adventure, and gives participants a great sense of achievement.
It is highly regarded and respected by employers and many organisations such as colleges and universities, who recognise the achievements of those young people who have taken part.
There is an immense sense of achievement which is recognised by the presentation of the Gold Award at one of the Royal Palaces.
Read how one member of Cheshire Border enjoyed the experience.
Click here to see who gained Bronze and Silver awards in 2010.
Click here to see Bronze and Silver awards in 2009
The Award celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2006 and is available worldwide.
Who can take part?
Girlguiding Cheshire Border offers participation in The Award to any registered member between the ages of 14 and 25. There is a County Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Adviser and a dedicated team to support girls through each section of the Award.
Try new activities!
The Award offers many opportunities to try new activities, meet new friends, try new challenges, have fun and enjoy life! Girls may take part individually, with a group of friends, or as a unit. There is a huge choice of over 100 activities in each section and many of these can also count for the Baden-Powell Challenge, Making It Count, Look Wider and Queen’s Guide.
Why do it with Cheshire Border?
Cheshire Border has a huge resource of people with just the expertise to help and support participants for all sections of the Award. Whatever the interest, someone can be found to help fulfil an ambition – guinea pig breeding was a recent request!
We have a long term commitment to supporting our young people from Bronze through to Gold and we give them every opportunity to meet individual challenges, make friends throughout the County and have fun along the way. One outside Assessor on our recent Gold Expedition in the Lake District commented:
- It is rare that youngsters get the opportunity to do the bulk of the route planning for themselves
- It was a real advantage to know and trust the supervisors and to have so much competence around
- Cheshire Border expeditions were brilliant to assess
Participants registered with other Operating Authorities (such as school) may transfer to Girlguiding Cheshire Border at any stage of their Award, as long as they are registered with a unit.
When can you start?
The Award has three entry levels; Bronze from 14th birthday, Silver from 15th birthday and Gold from 16th birthday. At each level there are four sections to complete:
- Skill
- Service
- Physical Recreation
- Expedition
The time spent on each section varies with the entry level and whether the previous level has been completed. The Expedition is a lightweight camping adventure of varying duration, either on foot, cycle, canoe, sail or horseback.
- Bronze : Two day/one night
- Silver : Three day/two night
- Gold : Four day/three night
Gold entrants are also required to undertake a Residential Project.
The Award fits in with other commitments
Sections may be undertaken in any order and are completely flexible to fit in with personal choice and circumstances. The Skill, Service and Physical Recreation sections are usually undertaken individually according to interests and time, the Expedition section, however, has to be undertaken as part of a group.
Participants choose the activity they wish to undertake for each section; discussing their choice with their Unit Guider and/or the County Advisers. The Award requires that activities must be a voluntary commitment of the participant’s own time, not part of school timetable or employment. At the end of the specified time the Assessor will record their comments and sign the Record Book.
Going For Gold! Conquering Coniston Old Man
Gold Qualifying Expedition – Lake District – August 2006
Get ready for Expedition
Training for the expedition is run by our friendly team of instructors and supervisors, with sessions held one evening a month from September through to February, with a full training day in February or March. Each month there is a County Walk for practical navigation training with our Walking Adviser. Expeditions are undertaken from March to October inclusive each year – participants must undertake a practice expedition followed by the qualifying expedition. Groups for the Expedition section consist of a minimum of four and maximum of seven. The County is very supportive of the Award and has maps, compasses, map cases, cooking equipment and a number of lightweight camping tents for use by groups.
Read here about Charlotte Hartley's view of the award
The Gold assessor discussing the route before setting off on the four day expedition.
The expedition training evenings, training days and County walk dates can be found on the county calendar.
Information for parents
The aim of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is to provide an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development for young people, which is of the highest quality and the widest reach.
Girlguiding Cheshire Border is committed to this aim and have an impressive record of numbers of girls progressing through the Award. This year we have had more than 60 girls working at various stages of the Award and many who have achieved completion. Our expedition training is of the highest standard and we place great emphasis on the safety and supervision of groups in our care. We only use registered and approved campsites, previously checked by our team.
If you wish to register for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, please download the correct registration form :
Bronze or Silver Award Registration Form, Gold Award Registration Form, fill it in and send it to the Registrations Secretary with the appropriate fee.
For more information contact the County Duke of Edinburgh Award Adviser or visit the Duke of Edinburgh's Award site
