Cadets and adult volunteers from all three sections of Calday Grange Grammar School Combined Cadet Force came together at Caldy Rugby Club to support the club’s Veterans’ Day for the very first time.
The event was held in support of Walking With The Wounded, a veterans’ charity that assists former members of the Armed Forces and their families. It provided an important opportunity for the local community to come together, recognise the service and sacrifice of veterans, and raise awareness of the support available to those who have served.
Representing the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force sections of the CCF, our cadets played an active role throughout the day. They worked alongside members of the 4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, who provided a selection of interactive military stands and displays for visitors to explore.
The cadets ran a wide range of activities, including tag archery, paintball and laser clay shooting. These stands proved popular with visitors of all ages and gave members of the community the opportunity to try something new under the guidance and encouragement of our cadets.
Younger visitors also enjoyed having camouflage cream applied by the cadets. This provided a fun and engaging way for children and families to interact with the CCF and learn more about the opportunities available through the cadet experience.
Before kick-off, cadets from all three sections formed up and took part in a parade across the rugby pitch. This was a particularly proud moment during Calday CCF’s first involvement in the event. The cadets represented the contingent and their respective schools with pride, demonstrating excellent standards of discipline, turnout and teamwork in front of veterans, military personnel and members of the local community.
The weather presented significant challenges throughout the day. However, the cadets refused to allow the difficult conditions to affect their enthusiasm or commitment. They continued to run their activities, support visitors and carry out their responsibilities with maturity and professionalism.
Their resilience was especially impressive, with cadets working together across all three sections to ensure the stands continued to operate safely and successfully. The event demonstrated the strength of the whole-contingent approach and gave cadets from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force sections the opportunity to work alongside one another outside their usual training environment.
As well as being an enjoyable community event, Veterans’ Day gave the cadets an opportunity to meet veterans and serving members of the Armed Forces. It helped them develop a greater appreciation of military service while reinforcing the importance of remembrance, respect and supporting the wider Armed Forces community.
Wing Commander Bosworth, Contingent Commander, said:
“I couldn’t be prouder of how our cadets conducted themselves today. Their resilience, enthusiasm and willingness to support others truly reflected the values of the CCF. They represented their schools with pride in difficult conditions and were a credit to us all.”
Supporting Caldy Rugby Club’s Veterans’ Day for the first time was a memorable and rewarding experience for everyone involved. The cadets embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly and demonstrated the values at the heart of the Combined Cadet Force: self-discipline, responsibility, resilience, teamwork and service to others.
Calday CCF is incredibly proud of every cadet and adult volunteer who contributed to the success of the day. Their conduct and commitment ensured that the contingent’s first involvement in the event was a positive one, and we hope it will mark the beginning of an ongoing relationship with Caldy Rugby Club and its Veterans’ Day.
Our sincere thanks go to Caldy Rugby Club for inviting Calday CCF to take part, to Walking With The Wounded for its vital work supporting veterans and their families, and to the members of 4 PARA for engaging with our cadets and the wider community.
We would also like to thank everyone who visited the stands, took part in the activities and supported this important event.