Duke Of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh award has three levels: bronze, silver, and gold. The main differences between them are the minimum amount of time required to complete them, the level of difficulty, and the minimum age at which you can start.

Activities for each DofE section require at least one hour each week for a set period of time. Development and sustained improvement must be demonstrated, and all activities must be completed by the participant’s 25th birthday.

We provide Bronze and Silver DofE at the local group level, as well as Gold at the Essex County level, however all are subject to a minimum number of enrolments every year.

Scouting DofE Award by School Year

• Year 9-10 (Age 14+) or in school year you turn 14. If you aren’t 14 yet but are in the school year in which your peer group turn 14, you may be able to start a Bronze DofE programme.
  • Eligible to start Bronze DofE from age 14 – run locally through Royal Forest Direct with 41st Globetrotters Explorers Scout Unit.
  • Expeditions: 1 x Practice (2 days, 1 night), 1 x Qualifying (2 days, 1 night, 6 hours of planned activity each day)
• Year 10-11 (Age 15+) or in school year you turn 15:
  • Continue or complete Bronze; eligible to start Silver DofE from age 15 – run locally through Royal Forest Direct with 41st Globetrotters Explorers Scout Unit.
  • Expeditions: 1 x Practice (2 days, 2 nights), 1 x Qualifying (3 days, 2 nights, 7 hours of planned activity each day)
• Year 12–13 (Age 16+)
  • Eligible for Gold DofE – usually delivered regionally or through Essex Scouts.
  • Expeditions: 1 x Practice (2 days, 2 nights), 1 x Qualifying (4 days, 3 nights, 8 hours of planned activity each day)

Getting Started with Your DofE Award

Thinking of starting your Bronze or Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award? Here’s a quick overview of the four main sections – Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition – including how long you need to do each one, and how to get involved locally.

Volunteering

Make a difference in your community. This could be helping people, improving the environment, or supporting a cause you care about.

• Bronze: 3 months minimum (plus one section must be done for an extra 3 months)
• Silver: 6 months (if you’ve done Bronze)
  If you’re starting Silver without doing Bronze, you must volunteer for 12 months.

You can volunteer as a Young Leader with Beavers, Cubs or Scouts at the 41st Epping Forest Scout Group in Loughton. It’s a great way to build confidence and leadership skills while having fun. Find out more: 41st Epping Forest – Young Leaders

Physical

This is all about getting active. It could be playing a sport, joining a fitness class, swimming, dancing, or anything else that gets you moving.

• Bronze: 3 months
• Silver: 3 or 6 months – depending on which section you choose to do longer (either Skills or Physical)

Skills

Try something new or build on an existing hobby. Cooking, music, coding, photography – if it’s a skill, it counts.

• Bronze: 3 months
• Silver: 3 or 6 months – opposite to what you choose for Physical

What You Need to Know

• You need to spend at least 1 hour per week on each section.
• Your chosen activities must run regularly – no last-minute cramming.
• One of your Bronze sections must be done for 6 months in total.
• For Silver, if you didn’t do Bronze, you’ll need to do longer in one section and volunteer for a full year.

Expedition

At Royal Forest Direct, we deliver the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award through Scouting to provide a structured, progressive, and supportive journey for young people from Year 9 (age 14) through to Year 13 (age 18). DofE is part of the Explorer Scout programme, not just an extra. Skills are taught and reinforced year-round, not rushed through in a few pre-expedition sessions.

Our DofE programme is not a standalone service—it’s embedded in the Explorer Scout experience. We expect all participants to attend Explorers at least twice a month throughout term time, as this is where they learn, practise, and embed the expedition skills required to succeed. Navigation, teamwork, first aid, cooking, leadership and problem-solving are developed in regular sessions, not crammed in before an expedition. This approach ensures young people are truly prepared, not just compliant with DofE requirements.

Over three years, participants are given increasing independence, while always being supported by experienced Scout leaders and DofE assessors. We help them plan, train, and complete all expedition requirements—ensuring that they not only meet the Award criteria but enjoy and grow from the experience.

Outside of the Bronze practice in Epping Forest, we rotate between The Chiltern Hills, South Downs National Park, and the Cotswolds. All are within reach of Loughton but offer distinct terrains and challenges. This ensures that young people are not simply repeating experiences – each year provides a new test, new scenery, and a sense of real progression.

2025/26 Expedition Details

Silver Practice / Bronze Qualifying – 17-19 Apri 2026 costing around £60 (TBC)

• The Bronze Qualifying and Silver Practice Expedition (2 days, 2 nights) is scheduled from Friday evening 17 April to Sunday night 19 April 2026, based in The Chiltern Hills.
• For Bronze participants, this serves as their official Qualifying expedition. For Silver candidates (typically Year 11), it provides a more demanding practice expedition in varied upland terrain, helping them prepare for the longer qualifying trip.

Silver Qualifying / Gold Practice – 10-13 July 2026 costing around £115 (TBC)

• The Silver Qualifying and Gold Practice Expedition (3 days, 2 nights) will take place from Friday evening 10 July to Monday evening 13 July, in the South Downs National Park.
• This timing fits well with the school calendar—by early July, Year 11 students (Silver level) will have completed GCSEs and officially finished school, making it an ideal window. The South Downs offers the scale and variety needed for a meaningful Silver Qualifying and a solid foundation for Gold Practice.

Expedition Requirements Overview

Minimum Duration & Activity:

• Bronze: 2 days, 1 night; 6 hours of planned activity per day
• Silver: 3 days, 2 nights; 7 hours of planned activity per day
• Gold: 4 days, 3 nights; 8 hours of planned activity per day

Training & Practice Expectations:

• Bronze: Full training and successful completion of a practice expedition
• Silver: Full training, plus a minimum 2-day, 2-night practice expedition
• Gold: Full training, plus a minimum 2-day, 2-night practice expedition

Packing your Expedition Rucksack

Lighten the Load!

Your rucksack needs to be as light as possible—so don’t pack the kitchen sink! Start by checking out the DofE Expedition Kit List and work out what’s essential and what you can ditch. Your rucksack shouldn’t be more than a quarter of your body weight, and it’ll be weighed before you set off.

How to pack  your expedition rucksack

Practice Makes Perfect

Use your training walks and practice expeditions to figure out what you actually need, what’s just dead weight, and how to fit it all in.

Packing Like a Pro

• Last in, first out – Keep things you’ll need often at the top or in side pockets.
• Balance is key – Heavy items (like your tent) should sit close to your back for better stability.
• Keep it compact – Everything should fit inside your rucksack, apart from your sleeping mat if it refuses to squeeze in.

Stay Dry, Stay Light

• Wet kit = extra weight, so waterproof your gear! Spray Nikwax Tent & Gear SolarProof on your rucksack for added water repellency, UV protection, and durability.
• Line your rucksack with a Dry Bag to keep your kit safe from unexpected downpours.

Stick to Your System. Once you’ve cracked the perfect packing method, stick with it – consistency is key!