Services for Young People offers five 5-day residential courses for young people aged 16-24 at Hudnall Park:
1. John Muir Award Conservation Wildlife and nature conservation
2. DofE Leadership Become a DofE Leader
3. Catering Professional cooking skills and food hygiene
4. Wellbeing and Mental Health First Aid Practices for improving personal mental health
5. Outdoor Activity Leading adventurous activities such as orienteering, mountain biking, zip wire and archery
All five residential courses are for young people aged 16-24 and have been designed to fulfil the requirements for the Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award Residential Section.
If you're not currently registered to do the DofE Gold Award you can enrol with Services for Young People by completing the SfYP DofE Award Enrolment Form.
You don't have to be doing your DofE to take part in the courses - any young person aged 16-24 is welcome to sign up.
2026 dates
The five courses run at the same time at Hudnall Park. This year we are running all five courses three times in the school summer holidays and once during the October half term. The dates of the 2026 courses are:
- Monday 20th - Friday 24th July 2026
- Monday 27th - Friday 31st July 2026
- Monday 17th - Friday 21st August 2026
- Monday 26th - Friday 30th October 2026
The courses begin at 12pm on the Monday and finish at 3pm on the Friday.
The venue
The courses are held at Hudnall Park, Services for Young People's fantastic outdoor activity centre. It is set in 85 acres of stunning private parkland, woodland and meadows in the heart of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just five miles from Hemel Hempstead in the west of Hertfordshire.
See Hudnall Park on a map and Hudnall Park on Google Maps.
You can stay either in the house, sharing a bedroom with bunk beds, or camp outdoors in a two- or three-man tent sharing with one other person. If you are over 18 you may have a tent to yourself. Campers have access to a modern, well-equipped toilet and shower block.
More information about the accommodation and camping facilities
Cost
The price of our DofE Gold Award residential courses is £360 if you are staying indoors or £300 if you are camping, apart from the Outdoor Activity course which is £400 if you are staying indoors or £340 if you are camping.
The cost includes all food (freshly cooked on site), accommodation and in-course transport. There will be a self-service continental breakfast available each morning, a packed lunch provided for each day (apart from Monday) and dinner every evening.
The payment process and terms and conditions will be provided when your booking is confirmed.
Click or tap below for full details of each residential course on offer at Hudnall Park and how to book your place.
Hertfordshire County Council Services for Young People is a Duke of Edinburgh's Award Approved Activity Provider.
