DofE Stand-Out Moments to Celebrate
During my placement with Operation Orphan, I had the pleasure of overseeing the volunteering section of four Duke of Edinburgh students. Three volunteered in person, helping with office and warehouse tasks, while one completed their volunteering remotely.
Our remote DofE opportunities include fundraising, raising awareness for our charity, and crafting handmade blankets for vulnerable children around the world.
Orla – Remote Volunteering with Heart and Yarn
This year’s remote student, Orla, completed her Silver DofE volunteering by learning to knit — a brand-new skill for her — and impressively completed 14 colourful blanket squares! Below is a photo of her work-in-progress, which is coming along beautifully. We hope Orla continues knitting for us in the future 💛
Orla’s Message:
“When choosing my Duke of Edinburgh Silver volunteering activity, I knew I wanted to support and give back to the community. Operation Orphan and the ‘Knit some Love” campaign stood out to me due to their welcoming attitude and the important work they do.
Throughout the process, I have learnt and improved my knitting capabilities and learnt more about the important work the charity does. I’ve been knitting bright, cosy squares that can be sewn together into a blanket and sent to a child in need.
Knitting a large blanket isn’t quick, so even though I’ve completed six months, I am really determined to keep going. As I sew the squares together, it is a reminder of how lucky I am and how we should all look for opportunities to do something kind or thoughtful for others.
Thank you to Operation Orphan for everything they do to help others and for helping me to complete part of my Duke of Edinburgh award.”
Albert – Taking the Project lead
Albert, a Silver DofE student, was a huge help with our Forget-Me-Notts Christmas and Easter projects.
In Christmas 2024, Albert played a key role in our biggest selection box request to date. Together, we spent an afternoon wrapping and boxing over 4,800 selection boxes for delivery to social workers the next day — Albert was instrumental in making that happen.
At Easter, we sorted and labelled 3,000+ Easter eggs. With extra help from two other DofE students, Albert stepped up confidently into a leadership role, helping manage the process and guiding others based on his experience.
Albert’s Message:
“Over the past six months, I have completed my Duke of Edinburgh volunteering placement, which has been a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
During my time, I learned practical skills such as how to replace the ink in the printer and became confident using the shredder. I especially enjoyed wrapping selection boxes at Christmas and sorting both knitted blankets and Easter eggs, knowing they’d go to children in need.
One of the best parts of the placement was meeting the Operation Orphan team—they made me feel welcome and part of the group. Although I found it a little daunting at first, this experience really helped me grow in confidence. Now that my DofE requirement is complete, I would still like to continue volunteering after the Summer break.”
Freya & Daniel – A Bronze Duo with Talent and Team Spirit
Freya and Daniel joined us to complete their Bronze DofE volunteering. Like many students, they weren’t sure what to expect, but quickly found their feet and became an amazing part of our Tuesday team.
They both enjoyed our Easter gift project, where they helped label and package thousands of Easter eggs for vulnerable children. Although some tasks they found more challenging, they shared how proud they felt afterward — which is a huge win in itself.
Freya showed real creative flair, especially when designing our Forget-Me-Notts board. She confidently led the team, including Albert and Daniel, offering design direction and ideas. Daniel impressed us with his mathematical skills, particularly in counting and organising eggs. He also told us:
“Knowing the Easter eggs bring happiness to vulnerable children makes me happy.”
By the end of their placement, the duo had helped sort half a football pitch’s worth of blankets, labelled and packaged 2,000 Easter eggs, and tried out new office skills with enthusiasm.
Here are some photos of Albert, Freya and Daniel’s certificate, a completed Forget-Me-Notts board and Christmas teamwork! And further down is a personal reflection of my amazing time with these superstars!
Reflecting on a Fantastic Experience
I’ve been genuinely blown away by the dedication, creativity, and kindness of the four incredible DofE students who volunteered with me at Operation Orphan. Watching them grow in confidence, develop new skills, and take pride in their contributions has been such a privilege.
The energy and presence they brought to the office each Tuesday afternoon was appreciated by the whole team. Their impact has been meaningful — not only to us but to the children their efforts have reached.
And as a bonus? I now have an extensive list of film recommendations, thanks to our many office chats!
Thank you, Orla, Albert, Freya, and Daniel — we hope to see you again soon, whether volunteering, crafting, or continuing to support Operation Orphan in your own way.
If you are interested in volunteering with us towards your DofE then please get in contact through the button below :)