The Gold DofE Award is the most respected award out of all the DofE achievements. After all, it takes the longest to complete and takes the most amount of effort. Consequently, it is seen as the hardest. Due to how tough it actually is to get the award, those who complete it will be invited to attend a very special award ceremony! This is extremely exciting for Gold DofE Award holders and is often the reason that individuals decide to complete it in the first place!
The DofE Gold Award Ceremony is offered to young people who have completed the Gold DofE award. These young people are invited to a royal palace, where a member of the royal family will also be present. The award holders will then receive a badge or brooch and a certificate presentation folder.
If you want to find out more about the DofE Gold Award Ceremony and what to expect on the day, check out the rest of this article!
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What happens during the DofE Gold Award Ceremony?
After you have completed your DofE Gold Award, you should receive an invitation, inviting you to one of the Gold DofE Award Ceremonies. Completing the DofE Gold Award is a great achievement, as it requires a lot of dedication.
Therefore, this ceremony celebrates the young people who have completed it! If you are not too sure about what the DofE Award actually is, check out this Think Student article.
When you arrive at the palace, you will be checked for security reasons and then welcomed in through the gates. There will be many other young people who completed the DofE award in the palace gardens, so if you have been invited, be sure to chat to them!
There may also be some exciting famous guests in the gardens! During the presentation, you will hear the National Anthem, as royal family members are welcomed in.
You will then be given your gold certificates and may even get to speak to the royal family member! If you are like me, this is extremely exciting.
After all, my main reason for completing the Gold DofE Award was to visit the palace! You can read about a young person’s personal experience of attending the Gold DofE Award Ceremony if you check out this article from the British Royal Family website.
Where and when does the DofE Gold Award Ceremony take place?
The DofE Gold Award Ceremony takes place in three locations across the UK. For two days of the year, the ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace. This event usually occurs in May.
For one day of the year, the ceremony takes place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland and this occurs during June or July. The ceremony also takes place for one day of the year in Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
You can find out more about the different locations and times if you check out this page from the official DofE website. If you really want to be an award holder and visit one of these palaces, check out this Think Student article to discover how to apply for the DofE award.
What do you need to bring to the DofE Gold Award Ceremony?
Due to the DofE Gold Award Ceremony only being open to award holders, the security is very tight. Consequently, you need to make sure that you are bringing the correct documents to prove your identity.
You will need to bring your coloured admittance card, to prove that you have been invited. You also have to arrive with two forms of ID. One must show a picture of yourself and the other must display your address.
You can find out more about what you should bring if you check out this page from the official DofE website.
You aren’t actually allowed to bring in any big suitcases or large bags for security reasons!
Who can attend the Gold DofE Award Ceremony?
The stars of the Gold DofE Award Ceremonies are of course, the gold award holders! People who have only completed the DofE Silver or Bronze Awards are unable to attend. If you are unsure about how these awards differ to the Gold DofE Award, check out this Think Student article.
There are certain rules about how many people you are actually allowed to bring to the Gold DofE Award Ceremony. You are able to bring one guest with you if you are attending the ceremony in London.
I chose my dad for this! However, if you are attending the event in Scotland, you are permitted to bring two guests.
What do you have to wear to the DofE Gold Award Ceremony?
Due to the ceremony being held in royal palaces, you are expected to adhere to a smart dress code! For the men, this means wearing a suit and tie, whereas women are expected to wear modest dresses or other smart clothes.
If you are part of groups that wear uniforms, such as the RAF Air Cadets, you are encouraged to wear these! You just need to be aware that the ceremony will most likely take place on grass.
Consequently, make sure that you are wearing appropriate footwear! You can find out more about the dress guidelines if you check out this page from the official DofE website.
What happens if you can’t attend the DofE Gold Award Ceremony?
If the date you receive to attend the Gold DofE award ceremony doesn’t work for you, this can be heartbreaking! However, the truth is that you will be repeatedly invited to the Gold DofE Award Ceremony for the next five years if you can’t attend!
Hopefully, you will be free during one of the award ceremonies in these five years. However, if you just don’t want to attend the Gold DofE Award Ceremony, don’t worry!
Your certificate and brooch will be posted out to you, as stated on this page from the official DofE website.