Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award Residential

In 2024 there will be two options to choose from:

Week 1 – Monday 29 July to Saturday 3 August (Site Set-up)

Week 2 – Sunday 4 to Saturday 10 August (Site Maintenance)

New Horizon is an annual week of Bible based teaching, worship and fellowship held on the Coleraine campus of Ulster University. The event has an attendance of 2,000 in the mornings and 3,000 each evening. In order to cope with this level of attendance there are up to 400 volunteers involved in various activities before, during and after the event.

One specific area of involvement is the practical help required to prepare the many tented venues including a 3,000 seat tent and it is within this area that the Duke of Edinburgh’s residential plays a major role.

What does the Residential involve?

• Hard work – fitting out, setting up and maintaining the Main Tent and tented Village for the New Horizon event.
• Personal and social development – making new friends and learning how to be a team player and how to laugh.
• Relaxation (some) – activities like ten pin bowling, swimming, visit the cinema etc.
• Spiritual growth – enjoy Christian fellowship and perhaps share your faith with others.

Some of the work is quite physical and can be demanding, particularly in inclement weather. However, it should also be pointed out that previous participants have found the work very rewarding and that not all of it is of a strenuous nature. Please do not let this discourage you from applying as we do make every effort to assign tasks based upon the creative ability of the participants as well as their physical attributes.

Accommodation will be provided and the cost of this, together with breakfast and evening meal, is covered in the £150 fee. All other meals are the participant’s own responsibility, however, in previous years use has been made of the University refectory which provides very good lunches at a reasonable price.

As places are limited we would advise an early application to avoid disappointment. Further details with regard to arrival time, kit required etc., together with a contact number for any further queries will be forwarded on acceptance to the Residential.