Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Edition with Harper Green School
Thursday, 23rd May 2024
On Thursday, 16th May 2024, a group of students embarked on this year’s Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition with Harper Green School. Starting at Rivington and Blackrod High School, students had to use their map reading skills to navigate to specific checkpoints across Rivington Pike before reaching the endpoint for day one at Bibby’s Farm, Chorley.
Along the way, students worked as a team, carrying all their belongings to overcome obstacles and solve various problems. At each checkpoint, they were met with enthusiasm for the challenge, smiles, and stories of the day. Despite a couple of detours, all groups successfully made it to the campsite and set up their tents before cooking their evening meals, which mainly consisted of pasta and pot noodles.
After some downtime, students from both schools mingled and enjoyed a fantastic evening making new friends, playing frisbee, and running around in the open fields, enjoying each other's company.
On day two, students enjoyed a well-earned ice cream treat in the sunshine before setting off for the final stretch. The long final section tested their resilience, but using their improved map reading skills from day one, all groups successfully navigated their way to the final checkpoint, Liverpool Castle.
As each group emerged from the trees to see the endpoint, there was a range of emotions from sheer delight to exhaustion, but all were full of happiness at their achievement. After a well-deserved rest as each group filtered in, we had a far quieter and more tired bus journey back to school before students left to sleep all weekend.
Mr Porteous, Head of PE at Harper Green School, commented, “The Duke of Edinburgh Expedition for many of our students is not just a walk but a walk into the unknown. Some walk into an area they have never been to, carrying an overpacked rucksack across terrain they are not used to. It challenges students to apply newly learned skills and be part of a team in every sense of teamwork. But as we have seen in the past, this group of individuals really did rise to the challenge.
All students were tested physically and emotionally across the two days; they showed resilience to overcome those challenges and maturity in making important and safe decisions. For this, I am immensely proud of their conduct and effort, and they should be too! Well done to you all; you did yourselves, your loved ones, and your school proud.”
Well done to you all!