Cadet Training Centre CFA
Fort Muller is our Centre for Adventure and is located off Penkridge Bank, Cannock Chase.
History
In June 1955, Lt Col W Byford-Jones, who was then Chairman of the Army Cadet League, launched an appeal, with a brochure of photographs, to raise the first £1,000 to provide the Army Cadet Force of the County with their own permanent Training Headquarters. By February 1956 he had raised £160, and it was known as the Chairmans Appeal Fund.
In support of this, the Council produced an illustrated Brochure, giving full details of plans and estimates, kindly drawn out by our Honorary Architects. The Chairman wished to alter the name of the fund, and it was decided to call it "The Centre for Adventure" appeal.
2,000 copies were sent out to important people in the County, but the financial result was dissapointing.
Determined to go on, the Council consulted the Honorary Architects who produced completely new plans at a much lower cost and less accommodation.
Their plans were in three stages, and Saturday May 9th 1959 saw the opening of the new first stage, which cost £2,400, towards which the War Office gave a grant of £400.
The second stage was estimated to cost £2,750, and the third stage a further £2,100, making a grand total of £4,850, required to complete.
The first donation of £113,1s. 7d., promised to the second stage was that of Mrs WHS Wallace-Copeland, the donation being part of the proceeds of the Lord Liutenant's Ball which she organised in November 1958.