Kent Army Cadet Force (Kent ACF) proudly announces the resounding success of its annual camp 2023, a transformative experience that brought together 500 enthusiastic cadets and dedicated adult volunteers from across the county. The two-week camp, hosted at St Martin’s Plain Camp in Folkestone, showcased a wide range of challenging and enjoyable activities that fostered teamwork, skills development, and personal growth.
Cadets and adults participated in a wide variety of activities. The cornerstone of them being subjects from the ACF syllabus which teaches rigorous subjects such as fieldcraft training, where cadets learned essential survival skills, navigating challenging terrains, which hones their ability to work as a unit. Marksmanship skills were refined through shooting exercises, while essential first aid techniques were taught, ensuring that every participant gained practical life-saving knowledge.
The cadets also embarked on adventurous training, pushing their limits through exhilarating activities like kayaking, raft building, mountain biking, climbing and abseiling - some cadets overcame their fears as they had never swum before or used a climbing wall.
The camp also emphasised the importance of teamwork and effective communication, as cadets delved into subjects such as radio user skills and engaged in command tasks that showcased their leadership potential and ability to work as part of a team.
The Commandant of the Kent Army Cadet Force, Colonel Richard Long TD expressed his heartfelt gratitude, stating,
"I am immensely proud of the dedication and enthusiasm displayed by every participant in this year's annual camp. The commitment shown by both cadets and adult volunteers has been truly inspiring. Congratulations to all cadets and adults who achieved star passes and promotions – your hard work and achievements are a testament to your dedication
This annual camp exemplifies the commitment of the Kent Army Cadet Force to empowering the youth of today for the challenges of tomorrow. The experiences gained here will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on all who participated and have created memories and friends for life.
This will be my last annual camp as Commandant, but I will cherish the knowledge that the ACF provides both adults and young people with life changing opportunities to learn and become better citizens."
The camp welcomed esteemed guests, including past Commandant Chris Gilbert DL, Canon Peter Bruinvels, CC, Civilian-Military Liaison Adviser to Surrey and Kent Civilian-Military Partnership Boards and to Surrey and Kent County Councils, Councillor Oliver Richardson, the Worshipful Town Mayor of Deal.
We were also honoured to have military veteran Sally Orange, the National Ambassador for the Army Cadet Force, attend and the family of Everest explorer Hari Budha Magar (relatives of one of our cadets in attendance for the final parade). We also welcomed our Honorary Colonel Peter Gilbert and the Colonel Cadets Paul Edwards MBE whose daughter was recently promoted to Sergeant Instructor!
The newly formed Corps of Drums led the County Parade and set the scene for a perfect ending to the Army Cadet’s experience.