The Scout Gold Award is typically completed by Scouts before they move on to explorers. In make up it is consistent with the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award and is often recognized by the D of E system. Each year we have a small handful of scouts who have completed the necessary components, typically a year ahead of the Bronze D of E award is undertaken.

Each year, Scouts taking part must manage their progress through the different elements with guidance from the scout leaders. Some of the skills activities are typically undertaken outside of the regular scouting sessions. We cover a large part of the outdoors challenge award at our annual summer and winter camps. We also help to create some of the volunteering opportunities although some of these must be organised by the individual themselves.

Part of the award involves an expedition which takes place over two days and requires the scouts to plan and walk a 10km hike on each day. The Scouts camp overnight under the provisions of an activity passport which allows them to camp unsupervised overnight although the leaders camp adjacent to be on hand for any disasters. The Scouts plan the route, plan their food and cook and clean up themselves. June typically sees a bunch of 4th EFS Scouts, armed with food, equipment and routes of their own choosing navigating Epping Forest under the provision of a Scout overnight passport which allows the Scouts to be independent of the Scout leaders (although we do track them at defined checkpoints on the route and at the overnight camp location)