GROUPS of students from West Somerset College successfully took part in both silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and Lowland Leadership expeditions on Dartmoor recently.

Three year 13s undertaking their Level 3 qualification in Lowland Leadership, carried out a training expedition, supervising the year ten silver Duke of Edinburgh (D of E) groups.

Becky Ansell, Cerys Rimmer and James Murray spent the last few months planning and helping train the groups, getting involved with organisational paperwork, booking campsites, deciding on routes and planning supervision when on the ground.

Their hard work paid off as they advised the year tens on their timings, camp-craft and decision-making with confidence, and enjoyed spying and checking on the weekend, to make sure everyone was where they should be and when.

An external verifier for Sports Leader UK, which administers the course, watched them in operation and was impressed with their knowledge and advice.

The students will now organise another expedition for their final assessment, to complete the qualification. This will be the bronze D of E practice expedition in July, with 50 year nines.

The nine year ten students on their qualifying silver D of E expedition on Dartmoor, all passed with flying colours, after being in the right place at the right time, working as a team, and cooking hearty and warming meals on their equipment.

They were divided into two groups, and enjoyed wild camping with sunny days and sub-zero temperatures at night, waking up to heavy frosts on their tents.

One group’s purpose was to create a ‘mood’ board of the places they passed through on their walk, while the others were looking into murders and mysteries on the moor.

The Blues group included Lily Ayres, Harry Ley-Sale, Tom Murray, Flo Mullet and Lauren Hirons, and the Reds group was Jake Whittaker, Ben Summersgill, Eloise Welsh and Lia Welsh.

They will now finish their physical, skills and volunteering sections to complete the full silver award.