21 was launched in 1969, and extended to those up to 25 years of age in 1980. In 2013, the Duke presented Awards at St James's Palace which included his 500th Gold Award Presentation. United Kingdom The first Duke of Edinburgh's Award ceremony was held in the United Kingdom in 1956. Participation in DofE programmes and the number of awards achieved has grown every year since 1956. As of 2017, roughly 420,000 young people were taking part in Duke of Edinburgh's Award programmes run in nearly 11,000 designated DofE centres – including schools, youth clubs, Air cadets, Army Cadets and businesses – throughout the UK. Over 6 million young people in the UK have taken part in the DofE in the UK since 1956 (8 million worldwide). The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a member of the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS). In 2009, the old system of keeping track of progress through paper Record Books was replaced by the introduction of a major new online system – eDofE. Participants use this system to track their progress, while Leaders use it to oversee participants' progress. Award programmes The Duke of Edinburgh's Award programmes take between one and four years to complete, and they must be completed by the participant's twenty-fifth birthday. There are around 300,000 new participants annually, with an estimated 461,000 current participants in the UK. The programmes are at three progressive levels which, if successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. With assistance from adult Leaders, participants select and set objectives in each of the following areas: Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community. Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities. Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests. Expedition: planning, training for, and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad. At Gold level, participants must do an additional fifth Residential section, which involves staying and working away from home for five days, doing a shared activity. To achieve an award, the participant must work on each section for a minimum period of time, and must be monitored and assessed by someone with knowledge of the chosen activities. Each progressive level demands more time and commitment from participants: Bronze 3–6 months; Silver: 6–9 months; Gold: 12–18 months. Participants are required to show regular activity and commitment to the award for the