In June, St Thomas More High School took a group of 60 boys on a two-day trip to the South Downs as part of their Duke of Edinburgh (D of E) expedition.

Having received a Leader Award Grant from the Jack Petchey Foundation, the school have been able to purchase numerous supplies to allow this trip to happen on a much bigger scale than previous years. The school are now in possession of six new camping stoves, seven new four man tents and five compasses to aid them in their adventures!

The individuals in attendance had not experienced a trip such as this and were therefore given new opportunities to develop skills such as hill-walking and self-sufficiency camp-craft skills, building their overall self-confidence and developing their abilities to form relationships within a team.

As a school, St Thomas More have been running Bronze D of E and this year they have also moved to offering the Silver Award. In addition to this, they are increasing the number of students participating by 30 – specifically focusing on their most vulnerable students. This is to give them an opportunity to access an activity that they may not otherwise have taken part in.

Two of the boys on the trip commented that: “It was very good, but tiring. It all paid off when we got to the top because you could see everything!” and said: “My favourite part was going up to the South Downs and seeing the horizon. I got to see a lot of things I don’t normally get to see. It was so rural.”

Interested in a Leader Award Grant? Take a look at eligibility requirements here.

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