It's all systems go for Cadet150

With only seven months until the first official Cadet150 events get under way, find out why it is essential that you get involved.

Next year the Cadet Forces will celebrate the work of the Cadet movement over the last 150 years.  With a host of events arranged over several months, all four Cadet Forces involved and a range of other stakeholders to accommodate, it will be no mean feat to make it all run smoothly.  Plans for the celebrations have picked up steam with the arrival of a dedicated Project Officer. Lieutenant Colonel Andy Johnson (above) took up post on 1 April with a remit to take responsibility for the large-scale events planned for 2010.  "Cadet150 will see a programme of events tiered from local to regional to national. It's my job to oversee and ensure the delivery of the big, national events," explains Lt Col Johnson, whose background is ideal for his new role.  "I've spent most of my working life managing projects in the public services, and latterly in education," he says. Allied to his ‘civilian' skills, Andy also has the benefit of nearly 20 years' experience as a Territorial Army officer. And he has a further ace up his sleeve - what he calls his ‘Saturday job'. "When I left the Territorial in 2001 I joined Hereford and Worcester ACF as a Company Commander. I'm still there now as Deputy Commandant," he says.

The bigger picture

Regardless of his Army background, Andy is at pains to emphasise that Cadet150 is a celebration of the Cadet movement as a whole, encompassing all four Forces. "We're in this movement together and we're celebrating as one.  Part of my job is to be sensitive to the identities of each Cadet Force and ensure that each is appropriately represented and celebrated. No-one will be given priority over the others," he says.  As project officer, Andy will be the key link between all the parties involved which as well as the four Cadet Forces includes the MOD and the Armed Forces. "I'm the focal point for planning," he says. "I need my finger on the pulse."

In the pipeline

Months of planning have already gone into the festivities with various working groups busy organising the events. Cadet150 is the opportunity of a lifetime to grab attention and promote the Cadet movement.  Now Andy has taken up the reins he hopes to help bring those plans to fruition. "There are lots of events on the cards, some still at thought stage and some quite advanced. There will be a launch event in the spring followed by events throughout the year until Remembrance weekend, when we hope to have a strong Cadet presence to close off the Cadet150 year," he says. "A large-scale parade in central London followed by a Buckingham Palace garden party is planned for the centrepiece of the celebrations and will hopefully take place in July 2010." 

Aside from the national events all sorts will be going on at regional and detachment level. "RFCAs will be supporting a lot of the regional events.  But at local and detachment levels we're asking units to come up with their own activities," says Andy. "You might be able to lay on a completely new event, something you've organised from scratch, but if you can't, then a simple way of celebrating is to take an event that you already do and make an effort to put a Cadet150 spin on it."

One of the key messages at local level, and one that Andy can fully appreciate given his Cadet experience, is not to overburden adult volunteers. "I'd urge everyone to get behind Cadet150 and to get involved in any way they can - but without impacting o n their Cadet commitments," he says. "I know how busy adult volunteers and the cadets are, and I salute the work they put in," he says.

There's a lot to look forward to in 2010. As well as celebrating what the Cadet movement has achieved over one and-a-half centuries and showing the wider world what Cadets is all about, it should also be a lot of fun. "Cadet150 should give everyone associated with the movement something to remember. It's guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us."

On the Cadet150 agenda

Media launch event planned for Spring 2010, content to be confirmed

A royal review and parade plus a garden party at Buckingham Palace

Expedition to Lesotho in July 2010 with 60 cadets and 10 volunteers from across the Cadet Forces. It will involve trekking and helping with community projects.

DofE residential course for 150 Gold Award cadets at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth

Inter-Cadet Force shooting event at Bisley

Inter-Cadet Force First Aid competition at Sandhurst

Inter-Cadet Force sports competition at RAF Cranwell

Reception for adult volunteers at the City of London Guildhall

Trafalgar Day Parade featuring all four Cadet Forces for the first time

Cadet150 celebrations to close with Remembrance Day events

Cadets will plant 150,000 trees supplied by the Woodland Trust

For all the latest information about Cadet150 visit www.Cadet150.org 

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