Each cadet force in Essex may nominate a senior cadet to become the Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for the year. The appointment is recognised as one of the highest honours a cadet can achieve.
Whenever it is appropriate, the Lord-Lieutenant may invite her cadets to accompany her on some of her duties throughout their year in office, raising the profile of the cadet forces, and providing an outstanding opportunity for those young people to gain an insight into county life.
Five cadet organisations had each nominated their best cadet to represent them as the Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for 2020, and a Cadet Reception was planned at County Hall to celebrate these young people and to formally award their Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet badges.
Unfortunately, the Coronavirus shutter came down a few days beforehand.
The Lord Lieutenant therefore arranged to meet them all on Zoom. She explained what her role was as the Queen’s representative in Essex, and what sort of events she would normally ask her Cadets to attend with her. They briefly told her a bit about themselves. It was their first chance to meet each other too.
Jackie Allan is a Deputy Lieutenant for Essex and a former Deputy Chief Executive of the East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. She assists the Lord-Lieutenant in making the new cadets feel welcome, helps the Cadets with their duties and helps coordinate their attendance at events with the Lord-Lieutenant. Jackie also took part in the Zoom call. Jackie said: “We all hope that some sort of return to civic functions will be possible before the end of the year.”
Read about some of the experiences of a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet here:
My Life as a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet by CWO Anna Welsh, 1409 (Consett) Squadron ATC