Cadet150 gets royal seal of approval

18 February 2010 - The Cadet150 year of celebrations kicked off in style on 17 February 2010 when HM The Queen welcomed 26 specially-selected cadet ambassadors to an audience at Buckingham Palace.  The 26 lucky cadets drawn from all four cadet forces (seven Army Cadet Force, six Sea Cadet Corps, seven Air Training Corps and six Combined Cadet Force) travelled from every corner of the UK for a series of events marking the launch of Cadet150, the 150th anniversary of the cadet movement.

Watch a video clip of the cadets at Buckingham Palace, courtesy of the British Forces News (BFBS)

After the audience at Buckingham Palace with HM The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, during which every cadet had the opportunity to shake hands with the Queen and tell her about their own plans for Cadet150, the party moved on to the Ministry of Defence for a lunch with officials.

After lunch they walked to Downing Street to have their photo taken outside No 10.  Defence Minister, Kevan Jones, and Minister for Young Citizens and Youth Engagement, Dawn Butler, joined the cadets, bringing with them the exciting and unexpected news that they were to be given an exclusive tour inside the famous building.  First stop was the cabinet room where the cadets sat around the cabinet table while learning the history of the house.  They were also each told whose place they were sitting in.  From the cabinet room the party moved to No 11 Downing Street where Mrs Maggie Darling, wife of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, welcomed them warmly and showed them round the Chancellor's residence. 

The final engagement of the day was an evening reception at Lancaster House hosted by the Ulysses Trust and the Council of RFCAs in support of the unique Cadet150 expedition to Lesotho in southern Africa in July.  Guests included Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton KCB CBE, and HRH Prince Seeiso, High Commissioner for Lesotho.  World-famous explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, accepted a donation from the Ulysses Trust towards the Lesotho expedition and spoke fascinatingly and amusingly about how joining the Combined Cadet Force at the age of 12 led to his lifelong interest in travel to very remote places.

General Secretary of the Army Cadet Force Association, Brigadier Mike Wharmby, said: "We are delighted to be celebrating 150 years of this fantastic movement. The Cadet Forces offer such great opportunities for thousands of young people across the UK. We are encouraging people to find out more through Cadet150 - come along and 'Live the Adventure'!"

Cadet150 events throughout 2010 will include a royal review of the Cadet Forces at Buckingham Palace in July; expeditions to locations as diverse as the Himalayas, Nigeria, the Italian Dolomites, Peru, the USA, Kenya and Nigeria; a special residential camp for cadets participating in The Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award; and the planting of 150,000 trees in partnership with the Woodland Trust.

With origins dating back to 1860, the cadet movement is one of the oldest and most successful voluntary youth organisations in the world. Today it numbers 131,000 young people, led by 25,000 adult volunteers, in well over 3,000 sites across the country.

The Cadet Forces are about fun and opportunity in a positive, structured environment that encourages the development of leadership and teamwork, initiative, self-confidence, self-discipline and a sense of responsibility. They welcome young people and adults from all backgrounds and abilities.  No cadets or adult volunteers will ever be called upon for duty with the Armed Forces, and whilst some cadets do follow a career in the Armed Forces, the Cadet Forces are not used as a recruiting opportunity.

Watch rare video footage from the cadet centenary celebrations in 1960

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