The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award launches its biggest ever fundraising challenge
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The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (the DofE) has launched Do It 4 Youth - a four part, four week DofE inspired sponsored challenge to raise money to support young people across the UK.
Taking part as team captains across the UK are JJ Chalmers, Hannah Cockroft, James McVey, Alice Beer, Oliver Phelps, Matt Johnson and Zoe Salmon, encouraging us all to raise funds to help young people from the toughest backgrounds to build life-long belief in themselves through doing their DofE.
This summer the DofE is encouraging people to team up with friends, family and colleagues to complete four fun packed DofE inspired challenges in four weeks with the money raised supporting young people and where it’s needed the most.
The four exciting DofE inspired challenges are:
- GET UP where you can choose a physical activity like cycling, walking, running or climbing,
- SKILL UP where you can learn a new skill,
- FREE UP where you can give up something like junk food, sugar, meat or social media and
- HAND UP where you can lend a hand in your local community.
The fundraiser is backed by local well-known faces, or ‘DofE Team Captains’ and each captain is paired with a young DofE Award holder.
Together they will encourage people in their regions or countries to take part in Do It 4 Youth.
Every pound raised will help young people from the toughest backgrounds gain the confidence, skills and experience they need to overcome whatever life throws their way; £25 could provide an hour of mental health coaching and support for DofE participants who need it.
The DofE Team Captains include Paralympian Hannah Cockroft, The Vamps guitarist and ‘I’m a Celebrity’ star James McVey, journalist and broadcaster Alice Beer, TV presenters Matt Johnson and Zoe Salmon, Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps and ‘Strictly’ star and Invictus medalist JJ Chalmers.
CEO of the DofE Ruth Marvel said: “After the year we’ve had Do It 4 Youth is a fantastic opportunity for us to meet face to face, have fun and reconnect after lockdown while raising vital funds to help young people build back after the pandemic.
“The last year of isolation has affected us all, especially young people.
"It is estimated one million young people could be locked out of education, employment and training as a result of the pandemic.
"The money raised from Do It 4 Youth will help more marginalised young people join the DofE, helping them build a lifelong belief in themselves to follow their passions, discover new talents and cope with what life throws at them in later life.”
Commenting JJ Chalmers said: “I am always looking for a challenge so when The Duke of Edinburgh Awards asked me to take on a new one I jumped at the chance.
"I decided to learn to tie knots partly as I'd love to master plaiting my daughter's hair.
"Come on Scotland, the money we raise will help to unlock the potential of more young people across Scotland, especially those from challenging backgrounds by allowing them to take part in the brilliant DofE.”
His Co-Captain and DofE Gold Award holder from South Ayrshire James McArthur said: “I’m looking forward to be working alongside JJ Chalmers as one of Scotland’s team captains for Do it 4 Youth.
"This amazing DofE fundraiser is a great way to get fit this summer, learn a new skill and raise some money to help even more young people get involved with DofE and reach their full potential.
"This award helped me challenge myself and it could do the same for so many more young people across Scotland!'
The challenge is open to anyone with any ability and is a chance for those who have never done DofE to get a taste of what it might have been like.
People can do it alone or as a team and can pick their own start date from June 10 but must complete it within four weeks and by September 30.
Everyone who raises £100 or more will receive their very own Do It 4 Youth commemorative pin kindly donated by NEXT plc, which can be worn to show support for young people across the UK and The Duke’s legacy.
To sign up to Do It 4 Youth visit www.dofe.org/doit4youth
