Duke of Edinburgh’s GoldExpedition Spring 2018–AAP
Achieving your Award is an adventure from beginning to end and the expedition section can give you some of your most memorable experiences! There’ll need to be between four and seven of you in an expedition team. With your team, you’ll plan an aim for your expedition, decide on your location and do lots of fun training to make sure you’re fully prepared and know what you’re doing! A qualified supervisor will work with your team to organise all of this and help you plan your expedition.
Once you’ve done the preparation the fun starts when you go out and do a practice and a qualifying expedition. Once you’ve completed your final expedition you’ll give a presentation about your adventures and achievements. The whole experience will give you laughs, arguments, joy and frustration along the way. But, by the end, you’ll have better team and leadership skills, not to mention more confidence and lots of great memories!
Expedition Training –The training covers all aspects of the expedition, including equipment, camp craft, catering, navigation, first aid, safety and route planning. We have a two day, one night planned at Little Deer Wood where you will learn all these skills and camp over finishing at 17:00 on the Sunday. You will need to cater for yourselves so it might be a good idea to have a look at the food and nutrition resource on the Kirklees DofE website.
Saturday 4 – Sunday 5 March – Little Deer Wood
Meet @ 10:00Little Deer Wood, Shepley Bridge Marina, Huddersfield Road, Mirfield, WF14 9HR
Practice Expedition - Fully-supervised Practice Expedition over 3 days in an area providing similar conditions to your Qualifying Expedition. The first day will be spent practicing navigation skills whilst out "in the field”, and also supplementing the training delivered on the training sessions, the subsequent days will be under remote supervision to allow you to develop your self-reliance, leadership and teamwork skills.
Friday 16 March – Sunday 18 March – Dark Peak
Meet @ 8.30 *Ship Inn Car Park Stenard Lane, Mirfield WF14 8HB
Precheck for Qualifier – All Gold groups must undergo a precheck before their qualifying expedition to check that they a properly equipped to complete the expedition. You will need to bring all your kit (excluding perishable food) to the DofE Marina Project Little Deer Wood Shepley Bridge Marina Huddersfield Road Mirfield WF14 9HR on Thursday 5th April 18:00
QualifyingExpedition - Fully-supervised Qualifying Expedition assessed by our team of accredited assessors. Qualifying Expeditions meet all the 20 conditions laid down in the DofE Handbook.
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 April North Yorkshire Moors
Meet @ 12:30 Little Deer Wood Shepley Bridge Marina, Huddersfield Road Mirfield WF14 9HR
Expedition Presentation –Thursday 4 May
Meet @ 18:00 Little Deer Wood Shepley Bridge Marina, Huddersfield Road Mirfield WF14 9HR
*It is really important that young people are dropped and parents leave straight away at the Ship Inn. There is only limited parking and access. The pub has kindly allowed us to use it even though the pub will be open. Parking will be a priority for customers using the pub.
The young people will be dropped off at Mirfield Library Car Park, Station Road, WF14 8XS following their practice & qualifying expeditions. The collection times are an approximate as this is dependent on many things eg what time the group starts walking, how fast they walk, accurate navigation, what the traffic is like on the journey. So please bear all this in mind when arranging collection. We will ask participants to contact parents on the day with a more accurate time.
All our instructors have undergone enhanced CRB checks and, are fully qualified outdoor leaders and hold governing body awards and current First Aid certificates. We are licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Service which is part of the Health & Safety Executive.
The cost of the gold expedition package is £295 (this does not include campsite fees for the qualifying venture).To book a place please complete and return the attached consent form and post to the above address together with a cheque for £295 made payable to Kirklees Council byFriday3 February. There is a facility for participants to pay this amount in instalments, if you choose this method of payment please advise the office and secure your place with a non-refundable deposit of £100.Terms and Conditions can be found on the Kirklees DofE website.
Yours Sincerely
Denise Bedford
Denise Bedford MBE
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Manager
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Spring Expedition Package
Please read the following information as it will help to prepare for your DofE expedition:
Individuals are responsible for providing all meals whilst on the training, practice & qualifying ventures - food & nutrition will be covered during the training sessions so please inform whoever is purchasing this. The food you bring must be suitable for a backpacking expedition so please have a look at the information on our web site under the heading Expedition Information, Food Suggestions and choose something that you like and bring it with you.Could you also provide a water bottle that can be filled with squash and refilled several times as opposed to bringing lots of heavy drinks. You will need methylated spirits for your camp stove but an adult will have to purchase this for you and we will loan you a special safety bottle to carry this with you unless you prefer gas, if so we can loan you a special gas adapter but you will need to purchase your own screw top camping gas.
Practice & Qualifying Expeditions
Day 1 - Lunch, Dinner and Supper. (squash and an extra few snacks for the weekend )
Day 2 - Breakfast, lunch, Dinner & Supper
Day 3.Breakfast, lunch, Dinner & Supper
Day 4, Breakfast, lunch
I have included an equipment list of personal items you will require please try and provide as much of this as possible. Appropriate clothing to wear on an expedition will be covered in the training sessions. Some equipmentcan be borrowed from Kirklees. This will be decided in your expedition training groups and booked out with your instructor. Have a look at this useful guide before going out and buying expedition gear
Remember on an expedition you will be carrying everything that you bring so think minimalist.
You will also needyour ID number and please make sure that you have entered all the information for your expedition on your edofe account this will allow your assessor to complete the relevant details once you have completed the expedition.
Suggested Kit List
Hat
Gloves
Ruck Sack*
Drinks Bottle
Boots
Walking Socks
Waterproof Coat*
Waterproof Pants*
Fleece (No hoodies)
Appropriate Clothing (No jeans & remember layering clothing is warmer)
Toiletries & small towel (Please keep these to a minimum)
Torch & Batteries
Tea Towel & Washing up liquid/pan scrub, matches
Food the right amount for your expedition
Knife Fork Spoon Plate
Sun Cream/ glasses
Sleeping Bag
Roll Mat*
Money for camp sites, phone, emergencies.
Any Medication
I D Number & update your e DofE account.
The loan of Items marked with a * and all group equipment will be organised by your expedition leader. Please try and provide as much of this as you can especially walking boots.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award SpringGold Expedition Package - AAP
Full Name: / eDofE Number: / Age in yrs. & months / Date of Birth:Home Address:
Post Code: / e-mail:
Participant’s Telephone: Home: / Participants Mobile:
Parents/Guardians (inc. phone/contact details):
Alternative Contact (Relative/Friend):
Special Dietary Requirements:
Medical information:
Known Medical Conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes, epilepsy etc.):
Medication being (or to be) taken: / Dosage:
Known Allergies/Dietary Needs:
Known Phobias or Problems (travel sickness, sleepwalking, dyslexia etc).
Doctor’s Name & Surgery Address:
Date of last tetanus injections:
(Complete below if participant under 18 years)
I have completed the details above and authorise my son/daughter to take part in the above project
We will take photographs of the participants whilst on expedition and upload these onto the DofE web site Participants can access these and use them in their presentations.
Signed………………………………………………………………………… Date:
Please return the completed form together with acheque payable to Kirklees Council
Participant booking – terms and conditions
Cancellation
By Participant
Cancellations need to be confirmed in writing to the Kirklees DofE Office. The following refunds will apply to cancellations unless otherwise stated on the form:
-Cancellation more than one month before the course date100% refund
(less the cost of any materials or
other costs incurred)
-Cancellation 21-31 days before the start of the course 75% refund
-Cancellation 11-20 days before the start of the course 50% refund
-Cancellation 6-10 days before the start of the course 25% refund
-Cancellation within 6 days of the start of the courseNo refund
By the DofE
In the unlikely event of your expedition having to be cancelled we will advise you as soon as this change is known. We will offer alternative dates or, at your request, a refund.
Data Protection
Course participants’ details are stored by the DofE Office for the purpose of recording attendance on expeditions, providing statistical information and maintaining individual, regional, national and Operating Authority records. We do not share your details with any other organisation.