Guest Blog - Julie's DofE Challenge Journey

As we prepare for our Challenge (we have new dates, but more on that later) we thought you may be interested in getting a flavour of other Challenges taking place across Scotland.

In addition to being a disabilities campaigner, Julie McElroy is also a member of our Scottish Advisory Committee. She's a Gold Award holder herself and a keen supporter of DofE Scotland.

Here's her DofE Diamond Challenge Journey

It is a pleasure to share my DofE Diamond Challenge Journey with you all and hope that you will be inspired to do your own Challenge before December 2016.

As a recipient of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, I know how much the DofE taught me about myself. It is the catalyst for the young people.

Over the coming months, I am going to embark on three DofE Diamond Challenges. Why have I chosen three Challenges? Because behind each Challenge has a story to tell and they will all interlink into my DofE journey that I have managed to carve out. It is going to be tough – even one person who is involved in my other two challenges cited, “a lot of factors for you to consider before you take on this challenge Julie”.

I am also planning to record video diaries of this journey so you see some of the people I meet along the way and many whom are strong advocates of the DofE in Scotland. 

My first DofE Diamond Challenge is embarking on Tall Ship Sailing voyage in June with Jubilee Sailing Trust. It is literally only six weeks to go and have just passed my medical assessment for this once in a lifetime experience to start my DofE Diamond Challenges.

Life on the high seas is something few landlubbers will ever experience and I am so looking forward to going on a Tall Ship Sailing voyage. The adrenaline rush is going through me but I am slightly nervous my disability will be more noticeable. In recent years, my balance associated my Cerebral Palsy has become unsteady with hyperextension in my legs proving difficult to release the muscles tone. The main challenge will be grabbing onto things and make sure I don’t fall overboard! 

The overall experience is going to be exhilarating, challenging and rewarding working as a voyage crew to man a Tall Ship for five days around Scotland. It will have it challenges in terms of the Scottish weather at this time of year also! 

I will be keeping a Tall Ship log and share the peril of sea life with you all when I arrive back on dry land so you will have an opportunity to read it. In the meantime, I will update you days before I embark on this Tall Ship voyage in June.

I hope my DofE Challenges inspire you to donate generously to ensure today’s disadvantaged young people are given the chance to go forward, start their DofE and propel them on a pathway to achieving their aspirations and their DofE Award.

Thanks to Julie for sharing her story and we look forward to her next update. You can donate to Julie's Challenge here. Start your own Challenge today by visiting the DofE Diamond Challenge website.