One of the most cherished parts of my school life in Southwest England was completing the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Prince Philip was a great lover of the outdoors and supporter of young people in the UK. His greatest achievement was the creation of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme combining outdoor challenges with opportunities for service to help young people develop strength, resilience and life experience. My gold Duke of Edinburgh award combined multi-day hikes and service projects – all done by choice and completely separate from the school curriculum. Some of the best memories of schooldays were hikes in North Wales and on Dartmoor, carrying absolutely everything on my back (the rules were very strict), with three others, chatting and getting lost repeatedly until we found our way to a camp site and boil-in-the-bag nourishment…

Being outdoors and enjoying the world we have is one of the greatest and simplest of all treasures. Thank you Prince Philip, for making it happen for hundreds of thousands of young British kids. You nourished a nation of people who love and cherish this small and beautiful land. I would have loved to show you my workshops in Thailand – another adventure that I had after the long walks in the hills.