Encouraging our cadets to engage with their local communities is a key aspect of the Army Cadet Force syllabus and an important driver for recruitment and support. Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force is keen to get our cadets involved in a variety of local events, and March Armed Forces Fair proved to be a perfect opportunity.
March Armed Forces Fair
Cadets in a WW2 jeep.
No 1 (Hereward) Company strongly supported the event with 54 Cadets and 12 adults in attendance, including Officer Commanding 1 Coy, Major Stewart, and the Commandant, Colonel Deacon. Our cadets gave directions to the public, handed out programmes and collected donations for the ACF.
First aid demonstration.
They also engaged with visitors, applied camouflage cream to children’s faces, told them about our activities, gave first aid and fieldcraft demonstrations, showed them weapons and equipment, and let them have a go at hitting an electronic target with a laser rifle. Visitors to our stand included Mayor of March Miss Kim French, who got into the spirit of things with camo paint, helmet and rifle! She was extremely impressed with our cadets, describing them as ‘brilliant.’
Mayor of March, Miss Kim French, & Major Stewart.
It was also an opportunity for the cadets and adults to have fun. This included eating ice creams, spending time with their friends, meeting service personnel and historical re-enactors, and seeing, getting into, and handling, military vehicles and equipment.
A cadet with a WW2 Bren Light Machine Gun.
Cadet Palmer of Chatteris Detachment said: “I want to have a career with the Army so its been great for me to visit the Army stands today,”
A bomb disposal technician shows some equipment.
Cadet Dillon of March Detachment had been particularly interested in meeting a Bomb Disposal Technician from the Royal Logistics Corps, and seeing his vehicles and equipment. He said: “It was lots of fun, I got to use a bomb detection sensor to search for hidden batteries. I also got to try on the equipment and press the siren button in the bomb disposal response car.”
Cdt Sergeant Venmore's promotion.
Towards the end of the event, one of our cadets, Alfie Venmore, was promoted to the rank of Cadet Sergeant and presented with his new rank by the Mayor.
Major Stewart said; “its been a fantastic recruiting event today, with great community engagement, and great to have built a relationship with the Mayor of March.”
Putting Camo cream on visitors.
The Commandant, Colonel Deacon said; “Its been particularly good to see so many cadets and adults here today, engaging with the community and also celebrating our armed forces and all of the fantastic work they do.”
The Commandant chats to a veteran.
Text and photos by SI Doug Stuart
