From Treks to Tea

Congratulations to our six Upper Sixth students who have completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and were invited to a special tea party at Buckingham Palace, hosted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward.

This celebration marked the end of months of commitment and hard work. To complete Gold, students take part in two four-day expeditions, a five-day residential, and give regular time each week to volunteering, sport and learning a new skill — most of which happens in the Lower Sixth. It’s a big achievement and something to feel incredibly proud of.

Ella, Isla, Rosalie, Luci, Lucas and Jose were joined by two Harrodian alumni, Daniel and former Head Girl Grace Dalli, who were also successful in completing their Gold a couple or so years ago. When asked to describe the day, words like glorious, amazing and wonderful came up again and again.

Highlights included walking through the palace gardens in the sunshine, enjoying tea and cupcakes, and seeing Prince Edward casually strolling around in a panama hat. The Duke of Edinburgh also gave a speech praising the participants’ determination and effort.

Ella said, “We had such fun exploring the palace gardens with Mr Bryson and Ms Campbell-May, joking about getting lost because our map reading skills still aren't the best!”

Isla was especially struck by a speech from Roman Kemp. “It was really inspiring,” she said. “One thing that stuck with me was when he said, ‘There’s no such thing as luck — it’s preparation plus opportunity.’ Knowing I was going to finish Gold with my friends and collect our awards together was what kept me going, especially on our 5 day expedition in the Brecon Beacons when the weather was against us.”

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson also spoke, describing Gold Award holders as people known for “showing up” — people with commitment, resilience, independence and a strong sense of community.

Harrodian DofE Manager Jon Bryson, who attended the palace event for the first time alongside Psychology teacher and Gold coordinator Jessica Campbell-May, was proud of the group. “It was such a special occasion — and even more so because this year’s Upper Sixth were able to experience it together,” he said.

He’s also hopeful that this year’s success will inspire the 25 Lower Sixth students currently working toward their Gold. “Seeing friends and people they know in the year above achieve this, and get recognised in such a special way, really brings the value of it home.”

Good luck to all our Bronze, Silver and Gold DofE students as they take on their final expeditions. You've got this!