Thousands of Army Cadets and the adult volunteers accompanying them are benefiting from a major wi-fi upgrade that brought better connectivity to all our cadet training centres at the end of last year.
East Anglia RFCA’s Estate team completed the roll-out of new wi-fi equipment at every cadet training centres across our region in December 2025. The project’s final installation was at the Cambridgeshire Cadet Training Centre (CTC) in Waterbeach, where as many as 100 cadets and 40 adults attend almost every weekend for skill-building, activity-packed residential stays.
Wi-fi access is an increasingly important part of these activities, with both cadets and adults accessing resources and recording their progress online. Our installation brought fast, reliable broadband to classrooms in Cambridgeshire CTC’s main building, as well as to the foyer, the dedicated technology suite, adult dormitories, the dining room, lounge and even outdoor classrooms.
The weekend activity camps provide the cadets with the opportunity to learn, socialise and keep active, with indoor overnight accommodation and hot meals provided. The RFCA’s own professional support staff (PSS) ensure cadets and cadet force adult instructors have what they need to enjoy both productive and fun weekends.
“This is going to make a big difference for everyone who stays here,” said Jim McConnell, a PSS colleague who works with Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force.
Hirers can take advantage of our wi-fi upgrade too
Even those not overnighting at the Waterbeach CTC will benefit. The site is also used regularly throughout the week by the Waterbeach Army Cadet Detachment and students from one of the RFCA’s commercial hirers, Military Preparation College for Training (MPCT).
The wi-fi upgrade was commissioned in-house by the RFCA’s IT manager, David Baker, with installation completed by AR Electrical Services Group Ltd for Abode Projects Essex Ltd.
Other training centres run by the RFCA now enjoying the wi-fi upgrade include Bassingbourn CTC, Thetford CTC and Colchester CTC. These improvement works to provide modern, fit-for-purpose facilities are made possible thanks to income generated by our team from non-domestic rate rebates and hiring out surplus building capacity through our Alternative Venues service to companies like MPCT.
Our Estate team is dedicated to providing the best places to work and train for cadet forces and reservists on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. If you would like to take advantage of the improvements we make—with your hiring fees also contributing to our young people through cadet facility improvements—contact our Alternative Venues team using the link above.
