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My journey from Reservist to Cadet Force Adult Volunteer

Petty Officer (SCC) Lisa Wood MA is the Officer in Charge of Redditch & Bromsgrove Sea Cadets. As a volunteer, Lisa has embraced the opportunity to help develop the lives of young people in her community; here she shares her journey to becoming a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV). I served in the Royal Naval Reserves in Birmingham, at HMS Forward, for over…

Sea Cadets Commanding Officer champions benefits of volunteering

Sub-Lieutenant Althea Bumpstead is the Commanding Officer at Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth Sea Cadets.  As Commanding Officer, she oversees and organises the welfare, training and activities for the unit. Outside of the cadets, she works as a Development Officer for Forest Voluntary Action Forum, a charity that supports young people and youth groups. We spoke to Althea to find out why being a volunteer…

West Midland RFCA welcomes new Chair to the REEG

We are very pleased to welcome Calum Nisbet as the new chair of our Regional Employer Engagement Group (REEG) at West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (RFCA). The REEG is a group of over 20 members made up of senior representatives of the Armed Forces, employer community and WM RFCA. The aim of the REEG is to provide a regional forum for…

Independent report celebrates positive impact of Cadet Forces

Exciting new research into the UK Cadet Forces highlights the positive impacts on young peoples’ development, adult volunteers and wider society. The UK currently has 130,000 cadets and almost 30,000 adult volunteers supporting them. This follows the Cadet Expansion Programme launched by the UK Government in 2012 which saw the number of school cadet units double to over 500 by last year. During…

IT and cyber security business signs Armed Forces Covenant

Superfast IT has become one of the latest organisations in the West Midlands to show their support for our military community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.  Hosted as a virtual event, the signing was attended by Wing Commander Simon Briggs of the Royal Air Force. The organisation has pledged its support to the Armed Forces Covenant; a promise that those who serve…

West Midland RFCA welcomes 700th Armed Forces Covenant signee

Valiant Integrated Services Ltd as the 700th company, within the West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (RFCA) region, to sign the Armed Forces Covenant and pledge their support to the Armed Forces community. The Armed Forces Covenant was introduced by the Ministry of Defence in 2014 and is used across the country for businesses to pledge their support to the Armed Forces…

Volunteers from RAF Air Cadets rise to the virtual challenge

Uniformed staff and civilian instructors at Warwickshire and Birmingham Wing Air Training Corps have demonstrated their resilience and creativity over the past year by successfully converting their activities to the virtual world during the pandemic. Whilst many youth organisations ceased their activities during lockdown, the Cadet Forces’ have ensured that their young people have not missed out on vital social opportunities, training and…