DofE Books & Forms Etc.

The DofE Award – Report for Battalion A.G.M 2008 / 2009.  

August 2008.

Back in August 2008; saw a small group of Officers & Leaders from Cheslyn Hay helping out again at The Burwarton Show in Shropshire . This work again involved car parking duties for The Show. It’s good that we keep attending each year with this work as we feel that we are putting something back into The Boyne Estate after using their lands for over 16 years for expedition & training weekends.  

September 2008.

The last weekend in September saw a group of lads from Cheslyn Hay & Lanesfield & not forgetting one young lady from Cardiff , participating on a Silver Expedition based at Alstonfield in The Peak District. That weekend we were very lucky with the weather & excellent supervision being carried out by Gary Marsh & his team. Unfortunately Helen from Cardiff had to drop out after the first day, but I am pleased to report that all the other lads completed the assessment to the required Silver standard.

This was also a very important weekend for me as I was also under assessment from The DofE National Training Board, who was assessing me for my National Assessors Accreditation Certificate. I think I was more under stress than the lads. However, I must thank the supervision team & the lads for there help & support during my assessment.  

October 2008.

While attending The Battalion Founders Day Service at Telford , I took the opportunity to set up my DofE stand with all new updated information & pictures from previous Battalion DofE projects. This was attended very well with lots of interest from young & old.  

February 2009.

With a rest over the New Year period saw Gary Marsh & me travelling down to Felden for The DofE Open Training Day on the 14^th February. I took one of the training sessions & now also sit on The BB / DofE Expedition council that meets 4 times per year.  

May 2009.

On a weekend in May this saw instructors from Penn attending & completing the BB Advance Expedition Certificate in The Peak District. Well done to those completing the assessment & its good to see that within the battalion we have a very strong support & knowledge from staff within The Award.  

On Saturday 16^th May, we held The Battalion DofE Leaders Training Day at Lanesfield. This was attended by 17 officers / instructors from not only our battalion, but received candidates from as far as North Staffs & Birmingham.  The course was run on the national BB/DofE accreditation & those completing the full day were awarded The DofE Foundation Level Certificate. Again good news for the battalion that now we are accredited for running DofE National courses.

June 2009.

Into the summer months & Ian Sharp set up & put together an excellent Bronze Expedition Assessment on The Long Mynd. Lads from Penn & Cheslyn Hay took part over a weekend of dreadful weather with 24 hours of solid rain. However, well done to all lads taking part & again to a superb supervision from Ian & Co.  

Later in June we held the annual Bronze / Silver Expedition Training Weekend. This year taking the course to a new venue of Birchfield, just outside Tenbury Well. With thunderstorms rolling around & with flash floods in the West Midlands our main concern on the Saturday afternoon was to put up a “tarp” not to keep the rain of the kids but to keep the sun off them. Very lucky with the weather with no rain over the weekend & sunshine on all three days. In all we had 23 lads & girls & 12 Instructors / Leaders. A great weekend was had by ALL.

Unfortunately, we had one mishap on the Sunday afternoon with a Lad from 3^rd W-ton breaking his wrist. This was a total accident & the lad received attention later in hospital in Wolverhampton . All the required & relevant paperwork for Health & Safety has been passed onto Felden & confirmed by them.  

What’s happening in the rest of the year?

On August 6^th, again a small party from Cheslyn Hay & Lanesfield will be carrying out car park duties at The Burwarton Show again. Anyone wishing to have a day out & free entry into the biggest agricultural show in the country, please let us know, we only need you for a couple of hours first thing on the car park.  

Over the weekend of 25^th-27^th September we plan to hold a Silver / Gold practice expedition. This will take place in the Capel Curig area. More details of this will be circulated very shortly to the relevant companies that are interested.

On the weekend of 17^th & 18^th October we will be holding a Bronze Expedition for those candidates that completed the weekend course at Tenbury Wells. Again details will be finalised very soon & those interested informed.  

On a General Point, let us not forget about the others 3 sections of The Award & I am please to state that I have passed off 8 Bronze Awards , 6 Silver Awards & 1 Gold Award for approval to Felden. Well done to ALL companies for working your Lads & Girls within The Award &  within The Battalion.  

Finally can I thank those officers / Instructors within The Battalion Expedition Training Team for all the time, commitment & support that they have given to the” kids” & me.

Ian Sharp & Gary Marsh will be going for DofE Assessors Accreditation in the very near future & we wish then all the best.  

To finish can I state as I do each year that if any company wishes to find out more about The Award & how it can be incorporated within BB work. Please ask that what I am here for.

Dave Briscoe.                         Battalion DofE Award Coordinator.