DofE award - what do you know?

[ivykaty44]

I am trying to find out about the cost of doing a DofE award. I have been told it will be £250 to go through and achieve the bronze award and £400 to go through and get the silver. Is this correct, it seems a lot of money for a charity based scheme.

totally depends who organises it. i did bronze through RAF cadets and it was pretty much free. we just walked about the local fields and camped out in their tents. did the other elements through cadet activities anyway.

then i did silver through school because they did 'proper' expeditions. so we went off to wales and scotland and canoed about. cost more cos further away, needed more staff, more kit etc.

didn't do gold as my school did an overseas expedition for that and i couldn't afford it.

My dd cost next to nothing.The local scout group lent her all the equiptment because i know the leader-but they btw provide it all if you go through guides or scouts.
The cost of the actual expedition was 12.50.
All i bought was food.
Scouts and guides will often provide the lot x

all my experience has been through scout and guide groups. The DoE programme links nicely with those of these groups. Such groups would only charge the basic cost of any activity and will usually ahve alot of the equipment which can be borrowed. I'd check out that route.

It cost a fair amount at DD's school as they have a load of practice expeditions (which they love) but you are offerred to pay as you go, and not do them all.

EG, she went to Dartmoor for a silver practice along with the Gold candidates, and so got to try Wilderness camping for the first time! They were well prepared for Gold by the time they did it.
They insist on 1 practice for each award though. They also asked for a nominal amount per term towards school photocopying costs, maps etc (£20?). The school also has loads of equipment you can borrow if you can't afford/don't want to buy your own.

I just received the DofE letter from DS2.

It says Registration, Expedition and Record book - £43.50, and £16.50 for the first aid course.