The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award charity is marking seven decades since its founding by inviting former participants to reflect on their experiences with the renowned youth programme.
Among those recalling their time earning the prestigious bronze, silver or gold honours are double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and television chef Matt Tebbutt.
The scheme, established by the late Prince Philip in 1956, was originally designed to equip teenage boys with life skills and confidence before they entered National Service.
Since then, it has transformed into a globally recognised youth achievement initiative.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is celebrating it’s 70th anniversary with alumni sharing their memories of the scheme
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DOFEUK
Dame Kelly, who completed her silver award, said: “I have amazing memories of my DofE while I was at school, like camping, getting lost and laughing.”
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who chairs the charity’s board of trustees, is urging anyone connected to the programme to join the anniversary celebrations by submitting their recollections via DofE.org.
The former Paralympic champion, whose daughter Carys earned her gold award last year, said: “In seven decades of the DofE charity, we’ve learned that there’s no limit to what young people can achieve when they are given the right opportunities, even when external circumstances are tough.”
She also referenced the scheme’s founder, noting: “Our founder HRH Prince Philip once said, ‘There is more in you than you might think’ and the DofE helps young people realise this.”
The charity is recognising both current and former participants alongside the volunteers who support their journeys.
Throughout the programme’s 70-year history, more than 2.5million young people across the UK have earned bronze awards, while 886,000 have achieved silver and 353,000 have reached gold level.
The scheme’s international reach remains substantial, with 1.2m participants aged 14 to 24 taking part overseas during the past year.
John Green was one of the first people to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the 1950s
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DOFEUK
As part of the anniversary commemorations, the charity has unveiled previously unseen archival materials.
These include Prince Philip’s handwritten notes on a draft speech he prepared for The Way Ahead, the programme’s inaugural promotional film from 1958.
The annotated document offers a glimpse into the founder’s personal involvement in shaping how the awards scheme was presented to the public during its earliest years.
John Green, now 85 and living in London, participated in Prince Philip’s pilot programme during the 1950s and was among the inaugural cohort to receive gold awards directly from the duke at Buckingham Palace on June 4, 1958.
He discovered the scheme through his boxing club and undertook photography, first aid and athletics as his sectional activities, with an expedition across the South Downs.
John said: “It was important to do the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award because it gave young people like myself the opportunity to do something that we weren’t encouraged to do at home or school.”
John Green showcased his original record book as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations
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DOFEUK
Prince Edward, who earned his own gold award in 1986, assumed the role of charity patron in 2023 after inheriting his late father’s title.
Dame Kelly added that her community service as a landscape gardener proved challenging but rewarding.