At present we have a two year training programme leading to the Silver award which gives pre-GCSE students the opportunity to develop their camping skills, learn navigation and map-work, use their initiative in small group or individual fund raising projects and gain experience in working with others. The scheme encourages young people to take up new skills or further develop existing ones, and to participate in physical recreation (not in short supply at Taunton School!). Perhaps the most demanding aspect of the Award scheme is the expedition section, which includes training walks on the Mendips, the South West coastal path, Exmoor, the Quantocks and the Brendon hills. At gold level the numbers involved over the last few years has been impressive, with a good proportion managing to complete all aspects by the time they leave school or in the subsequent eighteen months. The reward for all the hard work is the presentation at St.James’ Palace, by the Duke himself. There is a delay of around 6 months between the completion of the Award and the invitation to the Palace. In the training programme we build on the expertise gained with the Silvers and through Ten Tors and of course we welcome a number of ‘direct entrants’ from TS and other schools. This has included students from France, Switzerland, Germany, Brazil and Hong Kong, which adds a new dimension.The additional component at Gold level is the residential project that aims to involve young people in ‘a purposeful enterprise in the company of others who are not already known to them’. Over the last year we have seen students assisting with disadvantaged children, adults with learning difficulties, disabled children; on Winged fellowship camps; in the Tall Ships race; on Outdoor Pursuits or Music courses; as nature conservation volunteers on ‘Acorn camps’ and Equestrian Evening. In some cases the lure of the unknown has led participants such as James Vincent, Anna Vine and Mike Reading to go on larger expeditions with Raleigh International and the British School's Exploring Society. Gemma Smallwood and Mike Reading, both talented sailors completed some of their gold award during Tall Ships races. Anna who left school in 1997 wrote that her most memorable experiences whilst undertaking the Award were ‘sleeping in a snow hole in Arctic Norway for my Residential, eating soup and chocolate for breakfast on the expedition and fake blood and gore on the First Aid course’. All in all the most identifiable benefits of the Award scheme are the growth in self-confidence and self-awareness, the camaraderie and fun of shared experiences. It is truly an education for life.