The ACF provides many opportunities for young people from different socio-economic backgrounds across the UK. Having been a Cadet I understand the values and ethics of the organisation and the how fantastic the opportunities really are for those involved!

Throughout my time as a Cadet I thoroughly enjoyed participating in activities including the Cadet 100 rifle shooting competition to Skiing in the Cairngorms of Scotland.(when it did actually snow!) Many of these activities would have been less accessible had I not been in the ACF. This is something that I will always be grateful for.

The ACF plays an important role in young people's lives. The organisation helps to mould teenagers into well grounded individuals who may themselves go onto to serve within the armed forces.

An integral part of being in the cadets is learning to make decisions using one's judgement, being confident in group situations, developing problem solving skills and working as a team to achieve a common goal. All things that are achieved through adventurous training and the Army proficiently certificates alike.

Being a Cadet was never anything I had thought about until friends of mine mentioned it to me and from there on in I was hooked! Although I never intended to go on and join the regular armed forces, I always felt like I wanted to give something back, a view that is shared by many other Instructors in the ACF.

After spending 7 years as an Instructor working at detachment and company level I was ready for a new challenge. With this mind set and having an interest in the outdoors and outdoor qualifications to suit, I was able to become part of a specialised Adventure training team for Nottinghamshire ACF. Within this role I am responsible for providing activities such as canoeing, hill walking, Kayaking and mountain biking for the counties cadets and adult staff.

There are qualifications in adventurous training available through the ACF but as a general rule, most governing bodies require that you commit time to gaining experience of doing the activity yourself before you are able to instruct in that activity.

At present we are a small team comprising of three instructors under the guidance of LT. Col. Chadburn, however we are hoping that there are instructors within the county who would be interested in pursuing a more adventurous route within the ACF and help us to give our young people positive experiences of adventurous training.

Jamie Flack

Adventure Training Team