Doing my residential as part of my DofE Gold Award was an amazing experience for me. It was one of the first times I'd been away from home with a group of people I didn't know, and I was incredibly nervous about it. I was a very shy teenager so I was way out of my comfort zone.

I ended up having a fantastic time and gaining so much confidence that I could not just survive in a new situation with new people, but actually enjoy myself! It made me feel a lot better about applying for university, taking a year out to travel, and trying new things. I'm so grateful to have had that experience, and it's something I never would have done without the Award.