Grant’s story: “I wouldn’t be alive without DofE”

Grant, from Saltcoats, completed his Gold DofE Award in January 2025, and was in attendance, at a special celebration event, recognising his achievement, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, on Friday 4 July.

The celebration recognised Grant, and 600 other young people who have shown extraordinary perseverance, creativity and resilience to complete their Gold DofE in schools, community organisations and youth groups all over Scotland. Award holders and their proud guests had the chance to hear from famous Scottish faces, including Olympic athlete Eilish McColgan, singer and songwriter Nathan Evans and legendary Scottish actor James Cosmo.

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who is Patron of the DofE charity, met Grant, 21, and his family on the day, where Grant left The Duke momentarily speechless, as he shared how his parents had met on their own DofE Expedition, “I wouldn’t be alive without DofE, as it was on their Silver expedition, in the Netherlands, where my mum and dad met”.

Grant Meeting HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

Grant recounted how The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) has shaped his family across generations – from his parents meeting on expedition, to his own life-changing experiences through archery, volunteering, and international travel. Completing his Gold Award brought his journey full circle, making him the final member of his family to achieve it.

Grant’s mum, Linda, with her Gold Award

Grant, a student at the University of Strathclyde, studying Aero-Mechanical Engineering, began his DofE journey at 14 to strengthen his CV.

“I was 14 completing my Bronze Award to bolster my CV and follow in the steps of my mum, dad and big brother who are all Gold Award holders. At this time, I began archery, shooting recurve as a novice as I wanted to begin a new skill that I had never tried before. I continued to shoot after completing my Bronze sections as I progressed from secondary school to university”.

Grant hitting the bullseye!

Inspired by his family, his parents and brother, who are all Gold Award holders, Grant completed his Bronze and Silver Awards before pausing his Gold – “unfortunately, due to the pandemic in 2020, I decided to pause my Gold Award until I could fulfil my sections without social distancing, as well as focusing on my studies, however, I continued to compete and shoot regularly as archery was my newfound passion that became a big part of my life”.

Archery competition

His passion for archery, became a defining part of his life. He competed across the UK, served on his university archery club committee, and even taught archery at a summer camp in the USA. His DofE expedition to Arran in 2021 was one of the first post-pandemic, and despite the rain and midges, “it felt like a return to normal.”

Competition time!

“It was during my Gold expedition in 2021, a fellow Award holder had recommended that I apply and spend a summer in the USA, and it was one of the best things I have ever done alongside my Gold Award. As an experienced archer, I decided to take a step out my comfort zone and apply to work in a summer camp in the USA, where I was able to teach young people the rules and discipline of archery”.

Camp America Archery

“My Gold Award enabled me to learn, coach, compete in archery, as well as help run a club in a committee position to allow new archers to enjoy a sport that I have come to love. Throughout my last year of university, I got back in contact with my assessor and completed my Gold Award.”

About The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Every year, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) inspires hundreds of thousands of young people, from all walks of life, to explore who they are, grow in confidence and develop the skills they need to successfully navigate life. We help them build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had. The DofE is delivered in schools, colleges, community organisations, hospitals, prisons and more, all over the UK.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is open to any young person aged 14-24. Participants build their own programmes – choosing activities and a cause to volunteer for, in order to achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold DofE Award.