Lancaster cadets excel at national event

Ripley Combined Cadet Force entered into the Royal Air Squadron Trophy finals at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire.

In overall rankings, the team of 14 cadets came 11th out of 15 RAF-CCF sections in the country and third in the shooting section which is a stupendous achievement given the ages of the squad and the length of time they have been together as a group. The group were the youngest CCF to ever enter the competition and reach national finals, first time out.

The hours of training, concentration and determination were not only a credit to what the CCF can instil in young people but also to their personal credit.

“The standards of some of the teams were seriously exceptional,” said WO(RAFAC) McAlister, School Staff Instructor at Ripley St Thomas Combined Cadet Force.

"Many of these schools who qualified have had CCFs for 50+ years, whereas ours hasn’t existed four years yet.

"Getting to these finals is no mean effort in itself. Yet to see how well our cadets have done is thrilling and it is all their own dedication. They were up at 5.30am and did not stop until 6pm when we got back on the coach to come home. They are simply outstanding young adults and a privilege to work with.”

None of this would have been possible without the dedication and support from the CCF staff group of three, WO McAlister, CT McAlister and PLT OFF Atkinson, who work tirelessly to pass on their skills to ensure young people get the best from their CCF experience.

Would you like to gain leadership experience with our CCF/RAF contingent at Ripley St Thomas CE Academy? The school provides a wide range of curriculum studies and physical hands on tasks and events, from archery and flying weekends away to training on an RAF base.

Initially this would be in a supervisory, voluntary role only, with opportunities to become an officer in other roles, some of this can be paid.

If you need any more information or would like to introduce yourself, email [email protected]