Twenty-two Senior Club members take on a two-day expedition to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award with HideOut Youth Zone. 

On Wednesday 26th October 2022, 22 HideOut members set off on a two-day expedition at Lyme Park, Cheshire, to complete their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Bronze Award.  

The expedition saw young people put their skills into action following a number of training sessions with Operations Officer for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the City of Manchester, Vicki Doyle. 

Across the training sessions, members had an introduction into map reading, country code, rucksack essentials and basic first aid training.  

Young people also spent one night camping out at HideOut Youth Zone; HideOut’s first sleepover event since opening in 2020.  

Throughout the expedition, members were accompanied by HideOut staff who had completed the Duke of Edinburgh Expedition Skills (DES) course across the summer months, which gave them the theoretical and practical skills needed to support expeditions with young people.  

Senior Club Coordinator, Kerin Morris, said:

At HideOut we are always encouraging young people to be the best they can be through continuous learning and development. We are proud to be able to offer to young people access to DofE opportunities, and it’s been great to get young people out the Youth Zone and getting involved in new experiences.” 

James Trimble, member of HideOut Youth Zone who completed the Bronze Award said:

“You know what, it’s been the best achievement I’ve had. I thought when people said ‘it’ll be the best experience, you’ll remember it for the rest of your life’, that it was just a line. But it was sick. I’ve achieved something I never thought I could do”. 

This was the first expedition HideOut Youth Zone ran since becoming an official Duke of Edinburgh accredited centre in February 2021. 

DofE supports young people to have best possible start in life, enabling them to develop news skills such as confidence, resilience and teamwork.