Open DofE Expeditions for Individuals

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What's included?

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Online training- ​turn up to the face to face elements confident that you've packed the right kit, and with a head start in knowledge. Compulsory for all open expedition participants with Rich Adventure, to ensure you're all on the same page for the safety of the team.

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Training/ practice expedition- a 5 day block for gold, 3 days for silver and bronze, covering practical elements of the expedition training framework. Develop confidence in your skills and get to know your team, completing all the requirements to progress to the qualifying expedition. 

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Qualifying expedition- Gold is run as a 5 day block, with a preparation day and 4 day qualifying expedition. On the first day you'll have a kit and menu check and skills assessment, to ensure we're setting you up for success to start your assessed expedition the following morning. Bronze and Silver expeditions we launch straight into expedition mode, having completed all the preparation on the previous 3 day course.

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Equipment hire:

All tents, Trangia stoves and gas, 2x hi-vis jackets per team, map cases, maps and route cards, safety packs, first aid kits.

For canoe expeditions, we provide all technical equipment from boats and buoyancy aids to dry bags and throwlines. 

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Food is not included in this package; students must provide their own meals and any personal kit. Students are expected to make their own way to the expedition area; we are able to offer pickups from a local train station and return drop off to the same station at the end of the expedition on request. 

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Campsite fees are included.

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Safety and backup :

The most important question we’re asked is “what safety procedures do you have in place?” and our clients, parents and participants have always been satisfied with the answer.

First aid :

• Minimum of 16hr first aid qualification for all staff, specific to the outdoors.

• Teams receive basic first aid training as part of the package.

• Course leader with in- depth first aid knowledge and experience and a comprehensive first aid kit and defibrillator available on all courses, able to deploy to any team as needed. All our Course directors hold a pre hospital care qualification, taking our standards of care above and beyond first aid.

• Our level of qualifications and experience in first response has given us experience in dealing with a broad range of health issues and injuries first hand, allowing us to deal with any situations arising in a calm manner. Many of our staff work part of the year for frontline ambulance companies, including our Managing Director, Pete Rich. Any participants with specific medical issues that cause concern in their abilities to complete the expedition section under normal circumstances, please talk to us; we may be able to put additional support or variations in place. 

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Communications :

• Emergency contact numbers across any available mobile networks to boost chances of receiving messages and/ or calls.

• Staff carry radios for enhanced communication option.

• Teams also carry radios and GPS units in a sealed box for emergency use. All teams are given training on emergency procedures, including use of their safety box. Staff can track their location at any point (sent via any available mobile network) which also has an SOS button for teams to send us an alert in an emergency.

• Qualified Instructors suited to the environment, including Mountain Leaders and/ or canoe coaches, on the ground, meeting groups throughout the expedition to ensure the safety and welfare of each team.

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Reduced mobility expeditions

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Participants with disabilities or medical conditions that would restrict their access to most expeditions are welcome to join us for our reduced mobility expeditions with additional support.

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We offer short distances walking each day, with a strong focus on aim work. The expedition is aimed at participants who are physically unable to spend the amount of time journeying that is expected of most DofE teams; we also welcome those who require more rest breaks, lighter rucksacks and other adaptions such as smoother terrain. There will still be 8 hours of planned activity each day, most of which will be away from camp. A big part of the challenge will be supporting other team members- learning about each other's conditions and what can be done to help each other along the way. 

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We have run a number of successful reduced mobility expeditions over the years, adapting the expedition to suit the needs of the participants. 

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. Click here to see our reduced mobility resources produced by our 2019 reduced mobility team, providing an insight into how the expeditions worked from the participants' perspectives.

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The Duke of Edinburgh's Award allows variations as necessary to the expedition requirements, for any individual or team who would otherwise be unable to complete the expedition due to additional needs. We are happy to work with individual participants to identify the best expedition options for them; and aim to bring together participants who may struggle with similar issues to complete their expeditions together. 

We appreciate that, for many, participants had hoped to complete their expedition with friends but may have discovered that the expedition provision offered was unsuitable or that the variation needed wouldn't be an appropriate level of challenge for other team members.

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We welcome applications for any of our expeditions for those with additional needs or medical limitations, and are happy to discuss whether a place on a standard expedition or an expedition with reduced distances and/ or increased supervision would be better. We offer variations on both our canoe and walking expeditions, and are happy to discuss suitability of each option. Please get in touch to discuss your availability and suitability. 

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The expeditions are run by Pete and Claire Rich, who have both volunteered for the ambulance service for a number of years, attending 999 calls and learning about emergency management of many conditions. While Rich Adventure was effectively closed in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions, Pete started working on frontline ambulances as an Emergency Care Assistant. He has continued this part time alongside Rich Adventure and utilises his expertise in supporting these expeditions. We carry advanced first aid kits on all our expeditions. We've both been running DofE expeditions for over 12 years, and in that time we have helped participants with a wide range of conditions who need extra support, closer supervision or adjustments in how the expedition is completed, and we're happy to do what we can to help young people complete their expedition. 

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We have a really good understanding of hypermobility, balance disorders, migraines, endometriosis, diabetes and asthma, and are happy to learn more about other conditions so that we can provide the right support and the right level of challenge for our participants. Please get in touch with Claire -Claire@Richadventure.co.uk or via live chat to discuss your needs.