Young people learning new skills and broadening their learning through their Combined Cadet Force (CCF) welcomed dignitaries to the formal launch of the unit at their school this week.
The young people are all students at Nene Park Academy, in Oundle Road, Peterborough, which is part of Meridian Trust. They welcomed His Majesty’s Vice Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, Brigadier Tim Seal, to a training session on Wednesday 11 September that also marked the official launch of the CCF as an independent contingent.
The CCF is one of more than 400 educational partnerships between schools and the Ministry of Defence across the country. Nene Park Academy’s CCF offers its 55 student members a range of challenging, exciting and adventurous activities from which they can learn leadership skills, personal responsibility and self-discipline.
Brig Seal, who is also Honorary Colonel for the Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force, watched the cadets on parade. With him were the Mayor of Peterborough, Cllr Marco Cereste, and Lieutenant Colonel Alison Falcon, Deputy Chef Executive of the East Anglia Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, which supports schools setting up a CCF.
The visitors spoke with students about why they had joined the CCF at Nene Park. Several of the young people explained that gaining confidence and communications skills were big benefits, along with the sense of community the CCF brought.
Cadet Olivia, who is in Year 13 at Nene Park, said: “Cadets has given me a lot of transferable skills…I’ve learned how to be a good leader and teacher…how to solve problems in small amounts of time. Although it wasn’t my original plan, Cadets has inspired me to want to enrol into the Army when I leave school.”
Sharing his appreciation for the cadets’ smart turnout and precision in their parade, Brig Seal told them: “I’m impressed by the skill you’ve displayed and the training you have clearly undertaken. Being a cadet is something to be proud of, offering you values and learning that will serve you well both now and in the future.”
During the Vice Lord Lieutenant’s visit, the cadets also showcased their training in fieldcraft and marksmanship with air rifles and against laser-clays, supervised by the CCF’s five fully-trained adult cadet volunteers—all members of Nene Park Academy’s staff.
Cadet Will, in Year 11, said:
I absolutely love Cadets. It has taught me so many valuable things—my employability skills have grown, so has my confidence over the years. I’m now at a point where I deliver lessons to younger cadets and present as a role model. We’re exposed to such an amazing array of activities.
Robin Grover, Principal of Nene Park Academy, said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the first formal parade of our new Combined Cadet Force Army Section at Nene Park Academy.
“Establishing our own CCF unit has been a long-held aspiration, and it is an honour to see it come to fruition. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported us in making this possible, and I am excited to witness the positive impact it will have on our cadets and the wider Academy community.”
Lieutenant Barkney, Contingent Commander at Nene Park Academy, said:
Over the last five years we have gone from strength to strength. With our dedicated team of Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and strong support from the Principal and the leadership team, we’re delighted to have been able to reach this position of independence.
Darren is the parent of a student who has been a part of the CCF at Nene Park Academy from Year 8 to Year 11. He said: “My son has gone from strength to strength across the years …and overall has improved his academic achievements because of the values that being a cadet has given him. I am proud that he is part of this amazing youth organisation.”