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Presentation of Colours to Melbourn Detachment

Presentation of Colours to Melbourn Detachment

25 February 2023

  • Cambridgeshire ACF

Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force is proud of its long relationship with the Royal British Legion (RBL), and every year our cadets collect thousands of pounds for the Poppy Appeal. Melbourn Detachment’s relationship with the RBL has been especially close, resulting in them carrying the colours (flag) of the local RBL branch on Remembrance Day. This was especially important for Melbourn cadets as they had no colours of their own. On 22nd February, two former members of the RBL presented Melbourn Detachment with their own colours for the first time.

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The Colours are presented to Cdt LCpl Padgett.

Melbourn RBL had a men’s and a women’s branch, both of which have now sadly closed due to dwindling membership. With the women’s branch closing just last year, Melbourn Detachment needed its own colours to parade with at future events. Hearing this, Val Barrett and Irene Bloomfield, who had served for many years as Chair and Vice-Chair (respectively) of the Women’s Branch, decided to personally fund the creation of new colours to show their appreciation for Melbourn cadets contribution to the RBL. These were presented to the Detachment by Val at a ceremony at Melbourn Community Hub.

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Parading with the RBL colours in 2022.

Irene said: ‘The cadets are wonderful, amazing. Its lovely to see young people engaged with the community. ‘

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Irene & Val with their thank you gifts.

Both ladies were presented with commemorative glass plaques to acknowledge their extraordinary generosity. The other guests at the ceremony included our Commandant, Colonel Deacon, Officer Commanding 2 Company, Major McAlinden, Community Fundraiser for Poppy Cambs, Lucy Acred, and Parish Council Chairman Graham Clark.

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The plaques gifted to Val & Irene.

Melbourn Detachment Commander SSI Paul Lamonte said; ‘Its been an excellent evening, our guests of honour were very surprised with their gifts and our cadets did their very best. We were absolutely not expecting this generosity from Val and Irene, but now we have our own colours we can continue to parade on Remembrance Day’.

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The Detachment and guests.

Cadet LCpl Abraham said; ‘Its been a pleasure to help the RBL as long as we have, and we are really grateful for our new colours.’

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The Detachment with their new colours.

Text and photos (except RBL colours picture) by SI Doug Stuart.