In part two of our Chief Exec’s (CE) summer update, Colonel (Col) Leona Barr-Jones visits more cadet annual camps and events, at locations ranging from the British Army Mission Ready Training Centre in Cambridgeshire to the RAF Air Cadets’ National Air and Space Camp in Nottinghamshire.
Essex Army Cadet Force’s (ACF) annual camp
Col Leona took another drive down to Longmoor Camp, to visit Essex ACF on 7 August for their annual camp visitors’ day. The cadets had an excellent opportunity to use the urban training area and very much made the most of it with some excellent scenarios.
There was also much amusement around motorcycling and cadets took the chance of being in Hampshire to visit Portsmouth Historical Dockyard. Col Leona appreciated the chance to catch up with the Essex ACF team and all the excellent PSS and admin staff who support the delivery of the cadet experience.
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire ACF’s annual camp
It was not as far to travel to visit Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire ACF’s annual camp on 8 August, as they decided to stay close to their own Cadet Training Centre (CTC), utilising the excellent facilities at the Mission Ready Training Centre (MRTC) in Bassingbourn Barracks, Cambridgeshire. Col Leona joined the Commandant’s evening briefing to catch up with the county ACF’s leadership team and check all was going as planned.
Cambridgeshire ACF’s annual camp
Cambridgeshire ACF had delivered two weeks’ annual camp: at their own CTC in Waterbeach in week one and then Beckingham Training Camp, Lincolnshire (a traditional cadet training camp) for week two. Col Leona visited the latter on 15 August.
There was plenty of activity, with one highlight the Adventurous Training programme running out of Tallington Lakes near Stamford. There, cadets tried dry-slope skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking and raft making, with one of the highlights a high-speed ‘banana’ ride on the lake.
Air Cadets air and space camp
Col Leona was joined by our Deputy Chief Executive, Lieutenant Colonel Alison Falcon, at the RAFAC National Air and Space Camp based at RAF Syerston in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The visitors’ day there allowed both to see what air cadets had been up to, followed by a special air display. Cadets tried air simulators under the instruction of a staff cadet qualified aerospace instructor (QAI) and all the young people chose exciting call signs for themselves.
Eastern Area Sea Cadets
The Sea Cadet Corps were busy with their National Band Event at Greenwich on 17 August and then an Eastern Area paddle sports regatta on 31 August. The regatta took place at Stewart by Yacht Club, Bedford, where Col Leona was delighted to join Captain Neil Downing as a guest. She presented the regatta prizes before finishing the summer’s visits out on the water with the cadets.
Catch up on part one of Col Leona’s summer update here.