From the Contingent Commander

I am delighted to report that the CCF has had an excellent year! The general expectation is that CCF training should be roughly divided between military knowledge and skills (Drill, Weapons training, Knowledge of service life etc.), Section specific training (boatwork for the RN Section, field skills for the Army and flying for the RAF) and Adventurous Training. Within all this is the crucial fourth element of shared experiences and comradeship. In all these the Corps has strengthened familiar activities and introduced new ones.
The largest area of expansion has been in Adventurous Training, with groups from all three Sections going off on weekends to do kayaking, climbing, mountain biking and hill-walking. Military knowledge and skills have been boosted with a Contingent run Summer Camp at Folkestone in which cadets from all three Sections (some of whom had only just joined) got a real taste of Army life. The week included a range-firing package, a blank firing exercises, Expedition and Adventurous Training phases together with a range of evening activities including the Obstacle Course. For the second year we had a highly successful Mess Dinner where we enjoyed excellent food, wine and speeches, and celebrated cadet life with present day cadets, those who have helped over the year and many Old Reigations.  In answer to cadet requests, we devoted two parades to competitions in drill, shooting, first aid incident management, command tasks, indoor rowing and field gun racing. A clear winner emerged but all three Sections scored a first in at least one event. We also had a map-reading/ treasure hunt competition in support of the school’s charity week. One of the most significant developments is the re-instatement of our Corps of Drums. It is still quite small, but even as it is it has already added an excellent musical element to the Remembrance Day parades that the Contingent have been a part of and I look forward to its important role in next year’s Inspection and social events.
Two new Cadre weekends have been introduced to our annual programme, one for new recruits and one for potential cadet NCO’s and Instructors. These have provided cadets who attended an excellent grounding for their skills, whether basic or advanced, to flourish from. I look forward to a more professional and experienced cadets next year.

On an individual note Cdt Simon Hamment returned to defend his trophy won at the CCF National Regatta last year and earned a respectable third place in the Pico Class and Cadet Flight Sergeant Oliver Foord passed the Air Cadet Pilot Scheme with excellent marks.
I have to thank an excellent team of staff who, on top of a thousand other commitments, willingly turn up, attend training courses and run superb activities. I am delighted that the number of adults assisting with the CCF has grown tremendously; we have 2 newly commissioned Army Section Officers and 1 RAF Officer alone. The CCF staff team includes colleagues from across the whole School community, and some who work elsewhere however a special mention must go to the excellent work done by our SSI, Major Stuart Ellen, who has not left a single aspect of CCF training undeveloped, unexpanded or unimproved and has consistently achieved excellent results in the many unit inspections occurring within the annual calendar.