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St Edward’s:
150 Years
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Chapter 7 / Sport and Outdoors
the expeditions, either from a farm at Dowthwaitehead in the
Lakes or Capel Curig Training camp in Snowdonia.
As part of his visit to Oxford in 1972, the Duke of
Edinburgh watched DofE activities at Cheney School. Over
100 boys from Teddies took part and demonstrated: first
aid, fencing, a wind ensemble, electronics, bell ringing, fly
tying, ornithology, chess, art, brass-rubbing, canoe-building,
motorcycle maintenance, judo and gymnastics. No wonder the
Duke’s visit over-ran!
In 1984 Richard Anderson arrived and was asked to take
over from David Howorth. The Bronze Award had lapsed,
so he concentrated on the Silver and Gold. In due course
the Silver expedition was formalised from the initial ad hoc
arrangements on the Berkshire Downs (which were a very
inefficient use of resources) so that all those doing Silver would
have a Navigation Practice, a one-night full practice with the
expedition carried out on Exmoor. At Gold the expedition
was carried out, after a tough final two-night practice in the
uninhabited area of Radnor Forest, at Easter continuing to use
the CCF Arduous Training slot. For many years the expedition
was mounted as a CCF exercise, attracting public funds for
travel, rations and even an Army cook, but this ceased after
contrary MOD advice! The base was at the old lead mine
above Glenridding in the Lakes.
Over the years expeditions were not confined to foot but
expanded to cycling, canoeing, rowing on the Grand Union
canal, even travel by mule in Spain, ‘in the course of which
the group were fired on in the middle of the night by an irate
peasant!’ (
Chronicle
). More recently canoeing has been re-
invigorated under the impetus of Tony Snell.
It’s interesting to trace the evolution over the years of
the Volunteering Section. In the early years it was very much
qualifications after a formal course: first aid, life saving, a
police or fire course; nowadays it is almost all individuals
involved in some sort of community service – a change
perhaps reflecting a more caring society.
In 2007 Jo Shindler took over from Richard Anderson
on his retirement. She re-introduced Bronze, and, because
of better weather, moved the Gold expedition to be in the
summer holidays, rather than Easter.
Some statistics: at a rather conservative estimate of seven
Gold completions a year, to date about 350 Teddies pupils have
achieved their Gold Award and many have been to Buckingham
Palace or St James’s to receive their awards: not a bad record.
Richard Anderson
(formerly Master in Charge of DofE)
with help from others, particularly Tony Snell
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) was started in
1956 by the Duke of Edinburgh under the influence of
Kurt Hahn, his old Headmaster at Gordonstoun. Sir John
Hunt (as he then was) of Everest fame was charged with
designing the award and putting it into operation. It was
he who instigated the three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold,
and the four components (with their current nomenclature):
Volunteering, Physical, Skill and Expedition, plus Residential
at Gold. It’s a tribute to Hunt’s abilities that the award has
remained largely unchanged since inception; it continues to
be a highly flexible and deliverable structure for voluntary
personal development, eminently attractive to young people
and highly valued by employers. Currently some 275,000 are
involved across Britain; equivalents are also offered in many
other countries (e.g. as the President’s Award).
In 1961 as a result of one of the recurring examinations
of the purpose of the CCF at Teddies, it was decided to
introduce more Adventure Training into the syllabus, and
the DofE was seen as a way to achieve this. It was originally
offered in the RAF Section under Peter Corlett, but soon
expanded, and Recruits Company was reorganised to cater
for Bronze (as part of a compulsory CCF, which raised
some eyebrows as the DofE is supposed to be a voluntary
scheme!). Expeditions were run by Cameron Cochrane using
the Easter CCF Arduous Training slot, while Peter Corlett
concentrated on the administration. In time David Howorth
took over the running of the award while Peter Mallalieu ran
The cloisters, with the DofE notice boards.
Left and below: A Tony Snell kayaking trip.