Students on the Cotswold Canals Trust’s Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) programme were joined by detectorists from Cotswolds Metal Detecting Community (CMDC) on Sunday.
The youngsters were accompanied by CMDC members who showed them how to use their metal detectors and then set about detecting a large field on the ‘Missing Mile’ of the canal near Eastington – a section of the Stroudwater Canal that was filled in after the construction of the M5 motorway in the early 1970s.
Adhvika, a student at Ribston Hall High School, had never tried metal detecting before and unearthed a buckle on Sunday afternoon. She was accompanied by CMDC member Deb Hopkins: “I really enjoyed it, it’s amazing. Deb told me how to tell the difference between something important and rubbish. If there was something special the detector made a sharp, high-pitched sound.”
Archway School student, Lucy, enjoyed the session: “I thought it would be really tricky, but it wasn’t too bad and we found a lot of cool stuff – a horseshoe, a bottle cap, and a couple of bullets. We found things quite quickly but mostly scrap metal.”
Lissie, a student at Rednock School in Dursley, said: “I think it’s definitely a fun hobby if you like being outdoors and you’re an adventurous person. I also found a horseshoe, some scrap metal and a bullet as well.”
CMDC member Karl Monks said: “It was a great pleasure to assist Cotswold Canals Trust and the children volunteering in the rain. By the end of the session friendships had been made through metal detecting and a few bits of history unearthed.
“This was the first event of its kind for our club, and it was great to see the students enjoying themselves and learning from CMDC members.
“We organise regular digs and we’ve raised thousands of pounds for local charities, including Longfield Hospice, and we also financially support the farmers who host the digs. If anyone has land and would be willing to host a dig, please drop us an email cotswoldsmetaldetectinggroup@gmail.com”
Cotswolds Canals Trust Volunteer Co-ordinator, Gemma Barton-Foreman told Stroud Times: “Our Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) programme has been running within the Trust for a number of years, particularly through our bookshop, which has welcomed DofE volunteers for a long time. In more recent years, we’ve moved towards a more structured approach, as demand has increased significantly. We now manage a constantly moving waiting list and typically accommodate around 12–16 participants each year, depending on the level they are completing.
“In 2025, we also introduced the Cotswold Canals Trust Youth Group, which is open to young people aged 12–16. While some participants use this to complete their DofE volunteering section, it’s also open to those who simply want to get involved for fun – we just make sure the structure meets DofE criteria, so it works for those who need it. We currently have the capacity to run two cohorts per year – one in the spring and one in the autumn. Each cohort consists of six two-hour sessions delivered over a 12-week period, which aligns with the volunteering requirements for the DofE Bronze Award.
“So far, around 20 young people have taken part in the youth group over the last three cohorts, getting involved in a wide range of activities including litter picking, bioblitz surveys, bird house building and installation, wildflower planting, site clearance, supporting a stall at the Stroud Farmers Market, wildlife photography, monitoring aquatic mammals, graffiti removal, and creating social media content.
“We would very much like to increase the number of young people we can support, but this is currently limited by the number of volunteers we have who are able to help deliver youth-focused activities.”
