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BBC Radio York's Dougie
Weake visited the Yorkshire North and West Army Cadets on
their week's camp at Strensall Barracks.
 Listen
to the interviews:
Interview
1
Interview
2
Dougie asked PR Officer Kerry Hutchinson what the week at camp
involves;
"The camp concentrates on 12 to 14 year olds... they're not
hanging around on the streets, we're actually giving them some fantastic
activity-packed stuff to do - bivouacing, map and compass, life
skills, first aid and sports as well, all meals provided- so in
this week, they're having an absolutely fun-filled week."
Kerry called the Army Cadets "probably Yorkshire's best kept
secret" - the Cadets do a huge amount for the community, but
very few people have heard about them;
"We do a massive support for local charities - last year the
North and West Yorkshire Army Cadet Force raised £10,000 for
the Yorkshire Air Ambulance - as well as bag-packing at supermarkets,
helping out at local horse trials, and even performing first aid
to the public.
"Last year York Cadets helped at a road accident - they were
able to help and stabilised the situation for 20 minutes before
the ambulances got there, because of first aid skills from cadets
training."
The emphasis at Army Cadets is on teaching and using life skills
which people may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn.
Hannah, 18, has been in the Cadets for five years and wants to
become a nurse; "Before I joined Cadets I didn't really know
anything about First Aid... when I joined, First Aid was my favourite
subject and I think that's what's made me want to be a nurse in
the future."
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| Dougie chats to the Cadets
while on camp at Strensall |
As well as practicing drill, assault courses and first aid at camp,
the Cadets learn about Target Rifles. Kerry explains - "the
reason why we introduce Target Rifles to the Cadets is because a
target rifle is a complex piece of equipment, and we're actually
teaching them how to think about a complex piece of equipment -
later on in life it might be a car or a central heating system -
it's getting them to think logically and safely about a piece of
kit."
The Army Cadets always needs adult volunteers so that camps like
the one at Strensall can continue and so that Cadets can continue
to make a difference in the community and in the lives of young
people - "It's better than watching TV or hanging around street
corners... They can do the Duke of Edinburgh Award with us, they
can do a BTEC and come out with a First Diploma in Public Services
- that's worth four GCSE's. It makes a difference, and that's why
we're all here."
To become an adult volunteer, no previous experience is needed
and all necessary training is given.
North and East Yorkshire Army Cadets meet on Mondays and Thursdays,
or Tuesdays and Fridays.
For more information, contact 01904 490529, or visit the website.
The BBC is not responsible for the
content of external websites.
You can also find out about volunteering for organisations like
this by contacting Andrew Holland on BBC Radio York's Action Desk:
Phone: 01904 540350
Email: andrew.holland@bbc.co.uk
More:
Read about the Air
Training Corps in Yorkshire
Hear an interview with a trainee
pilot at RAF Linton on Ouse
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