Sea Cadets, Royal Marine Cadets, RAF Air Cadets and Army Cadets from across East Anglia enjoyed training, learning, teamwork and adventure while they were on this year’s summer camps.
These annual events offer members of every cadet force the chance to learn new skills, put existing training into practice and work through their cadet syllabus and often Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards too, by undertaking the expedition element of the challenge. Cadets tried out activities ranging from rafting and exploring Chinook helicopters, as well as learning about computer and information systems, life support and more.
Nearly all the young people who head off to annual camp come home with positive words about it. Cdt Sgt Hand (pictured below) of Essex ACF, summing up her senior cadet camp, said: “It’s really nice because you get to do things you haven’t really done before, work really well…as a team and make new friends.”
Royal Marine Cadets’ X-ray Coy—which takes in East Anglia—travelled to Royal Westdown Camp in Salisbury. In common with other cadet forces, the young people undertook command tasks to build leadership skills and teamwork, along with thinking and making decisions under pressure.
Our chair, Brig Tim Seal TD DL VR, visited Cambridgeshire ACF’s senior camp at Otterburn Training Area in Northumberland tocheck how they were getting on. Brig Tim said: “Otterburn offers something very different for our cadets, with lots of hills. Today is a great opportunity for me to visit and speak with some of the two-star cadets going through their fieldcraft phase.
“Lots of people know that cadets are enthusiastic, but actually the best thing to do is come out and see them in the field. That’s when you really get a feel for just how enthusiastic they are, and what a range of different backgrounds they have.
“They’re all picking up new skills literally every day: how to work together, how to live together, how to support each other, and how to make sure that the cadet experience helps them in greater life.”
Many RAF Air Cadets from the Central and Eastern Region that encompasses East Anglia travelled to the Peak District for Camp Viking in late July. The young people enjoyed activities including Bronze and Silver fieldcraft, Gold first aid, adventurous training both on mountain bikes and aboard boats, and a ceremonial and drill course.
The camp also included a music stream, silver Space and Silver cyber options—and a display from the Red Arrows overhead.
Here is a selection of images showing just a few of the activities involving young people across East Anglia’s Sea, Royal Marine, Army and RAF Air Cadet annual camps this summer.
