Cambridgeshire ACF encourages its members to be good citizens and take an active role in their communities; the latest example of one of many of our cadets to achieve exceptional results in doing this is Cdt Corporal Samantha Bowler-Legate, who has collected more than 1500 aluminium cans for charity.
Together with her mother Lesley, and step-father SSI Dave Moller, Samantha has effectively networked with friends through a Facebook page, and through a family contact with Royal Mail, who has helped collect cans from employees at his workplace. Their can collecting is far from over, with a contact from Newmarket Racecourse further promising them thousands of cans in the near future. Her mother and step-father both work driving patients in private ambulances, and fully appreciate the importance of work in the community.
Cpl Bowler-Legate with some of her cans, along with Major Deacon (left) and SSI Dave Moller. (Picture: Doug Stuart)
Cadet Corporal Bowler-Legate (16) of Waterbeach Detachment, was introduced to volunteering through her Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Bronze Award, where she helped to organise a regular raffle to raise funds for Cambs ACF and Defibrillators For All in Burwell. Following on from this, she was inspired to go further with helping another important charity.
Helipads for Hospitals has become a significant fund-raising cause for Cambs ACF after being introduced by SMI Vince Moody, who has a personal connection with a leader of the charity. Helipads for Hospitals has also been further supported by the extraordinary work of SMI Jules Perry, who amongst her many charitable pursuits has also collected a large number of cans and helped to promote the charity. The cans will be sold for their scrap metal value and will help fund the building of Helipads to enable better life-saving access for emergency helicopters landing at hospitals. Cadet Frankie Newbatt recently got an ACF branded can collection bank installed in Whittlesey, for the same charity.
Cdt Cpl Bowler-Legate said: ‘Im really pleased with how many cans we have collected, a lot more than I expected. We have to crush the cans, and I get very competitive with my step-dad to see who can squash them the quickest!’
On Sunday 6th June, Cpl Legate and SSI Moller dropped the cans off at the home of Deputy Commandant Major Lesley Deacon, from where they will be collected by SMI Vince Moody and taken to his charity contact for Helipads for Hospitals.
Cpl Bowler-Legate (picture; Doug Stuart)
Major Deacon said; ‘We encourage our cadets to play an active part in their community, and to put others before themselves. Having learned these values in the ACF, and being encouraged to volunteer by participation in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, its great to see Cpl Bowler-Legate continuing to put into practice the values she has learned in order to help others.’
Cpl Bowler-Legate joined Cambs ACF three years ago, she is two star complete and has completed many courses and qualifications, including the Junior Cadet Instructors Cadre (JCIC), a CVQ qualification in Leadership and Management, and courses in radio and first aid. She has completed her Bronze DofE and is coming towards competition of the Silver Award.
Of her many achievements, its the social aspects of her cadet experience that matter most to her. She says: ‘The best friendships I have ever made have been in the cadets.’
Text by PI Doug Stuart
This story was published in The Ely Standard https://www.elystandard.co.uk/...
