I had the great pleasure to be asked to be one of the Marshals for the Gold Award Presentation at St. James’s Palace.  We had 8 candidates who gained their Gold Award.  These were Rebecca Armstrong, James Boon, Jonathan Hulse, Sian Moran and Simon Redmond. James Coates and Andrew Mowat could not make it on the day and Patricia Morley received her award the day before.
The presentation was in the Picture Gallery which was a wonderful setting. I had the privilege of meeting the Earl of Wessex, and of seeing a number of the State Apartments.
  

To be there with the candidates from St. Mary’s College was the highlight of the day as I was a member of the team when they were out in the atrocious weather conditions that they endured on their qualifying expedition, which makes me very proud of each of them.  They showed the courage that it takes to keep on going and not to give in when the going gets tough, and it did get tough for them.  It is one of the expeditions that I will never forget and to be with them right to the end, seeing them getting their well-deserved award makes it very special to me.

Carole Donnan.