It has been just over a year now since the first UK lockdown started and the Army Cadet Force (ACF) came to an abrupt stop. Since then, we have switched to virtual training helping to keep the flame alive and provide support to our cadets, maintaining some normality.
The pandemic has also had a crippling effect on the lives of many families across Cheshire and have changed the way we work and live our lives.
Now, as the Cadet Force prepares to come out of the third lockdown, a new sense of hope has appeared for Cheshire ACF as it starts to prepare for its rebirth. Since January it has now recruited a record 35 potential Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) who have completed the familiarisation day and Commandants interviews.
Covid 19 has in many ways brought communities together, making them stronger and it’s no wonder why so many people now want to continue to volunteer by helping young people across Cheshire to get back on track and have a better start in life.
Potential CFAVs, come from all walks of life including school teachers to helicopter pilots and surprisingly not all have military experience helping to make the ACF such a diverse organisation.
Cheshire ACF Commandant, said “With the latest influx of adult volunteers, I am confident that Cheshire ACF is in a strong position, ready for the return to face to face training. I am certain that we can, and will rebuild the County as big and as vibrant as it ever was”.
Cheshire ACF, already has big plans for this year to bring stability back to the county for our cadets and with 35 potential CFAVs this is a great stepping stone to rebuild the foundations and build a stronger future. Our new CFAVs will now start their basic induction training, learning how to teach the wide range of subjects on offer and learning about all the opportunities volunteering provides them in return for their commitment whilst in one of the UKs largest youth organisations.
The ACF has always had a strong presence within the community and even in lockdown we have had a number of cadets make the national news headlines. We are preparing for our cadets to return to back to their detachments allowing county to turn to its next stage which is to actively start cadet recruitment.
The Commandant also said “I can’t thank our adult volunteers and cadets enough for keeping the ACF flame alive during the last 12 months. It’s truly astounding to see the commitment our CFAVs give to the ACF and to their cadets”.
