Recently two teams of Lone Gold Award aspirants completed the Adventurous Journey Section of the Award by taking part in a 4 day journey in Snowdonia National Park, Wales.
Below are some of the things the participants, leaders and assessors had to say about the experience:
“The Presidents’ Award Scheme is a ‘kaxxa maghluqa’ (closed box) experience; I am sure no one had ever thought about gaining such a positive experience which emerged during these last two years. The Presidents’ Award Scheme is an opportunity to learn, grow and meet new people. Different sections have different outcomes: during the actual expeditions, you learn to appreciate your everyday facilities eg. bathroom, electricty… You learn to work in a team, share everything together; you become a family for a few days, and remain so for the rest of your life.
Marija Agius – Participant
After a year of preparations, planning, meetings, training and trials, we were ready for our Qualifying Expedition in Wales, an unknown terrain in an unknown country. Moors, marshlands and forests, were all new to us. It was a very challenging expedition since we had to rely solely on our navigation skills, unlike Malta’s familiar skyline and roads, and made worse by two days of unrelenting rain and winds. Thank God on the last two days of the expedition we encountered very nice and sunny weather, and we could enjoy the splendid views Snowdonia National Park has to offer. Though at the end of the expedition we were all dead tired, the feeling of achievement was overwhelming. We did it all together as a team, we prepared for it together and we achieved it together, helping each other through the difficult moments and always keeping our morals high. Our supervisors and assessor were very friendly and encouraging and had only words of praise for the way we worked. The moment which made it all worthwhile was when our assessor, with a smile on his face, said the words: “You have satisfied all the requirements for the expedition section of the President’s Award”
Mark Sammut – Participant
What a great experience! One year ago, I had never even met 3 of my team mates, but today I can say that I have gained 3 wonderful friends. Snowdonia is simply beautiful, and if the great company wasn’t enough, the scenery certainly made the journey fly by! That said, it was no piece of cake; it rained heavily for 2 of the 4 days we were out and navigating the Welsh hills is nothing like what we are used to navigating in Malta. A great way to finish my Gold Award, and a memory I will certainly cherish for years to come!
Sebastian Cachia – Participant
I had the pleasure of assessing two groups of young people the Dragons and Malteesers. They were well prepared with kit and their training was excellent. The North Wales weather tried to hold them back but despite the wind and rain they triumphed with out a complaint. I was proud to say “You have your Gold Award”
Geoff Lupton Assessor LO2390A
It was a pleasure working with the two groups of award participants. Despite the very different terrain and atrocious weather they experienced on day two along with various setbacks to their plans, they all remained positive and cheerful with a steely determination to complete the expedition. They obviously gelled together well and there was a great rapport between them with plenty of team spirit. As supervisors, it was wonderful for us to be on the receiving end of plenty of thanks and appreciation. Having had four tough days of expedition, we were amazed that most of the young people elected to walk with us up to the top of Snowden (1085 metre) on a wet and windy day with the temperature at the top around 5 degrees C.
Ron & Gillian Ainsworth – Supervisors
The groups undertaking their venture (expedition/exploration) in North Wales were extremely resilient, cheerful, and resolute despite encountering unfamiliar terrain and some very inclement (wet & windy) weather. They all worked well as a team, and some even elected to walk up Snowden on their final “recovery” day in the area. It was a pleasure working with such participants of the award scheme.
Jim Ainsworth – Supervisor
