Meet the RFCA team that’s helping cadets to have a Christmas to remember!
They are all part of the professional support team at Yorkshire (North and West) Army Cadet Force’s Strensall headquarters, near York.
Year-round, the staff are responsible for delivering professional support services to Army Cadet units with their responsibilities spanning admin support, supplies management and the cadet vehicle fleet.
But at this time of year, they also have another special role –ensuring the force’s headquarters provides a suitably festive venue for 500 cadets to spend a Christmas weekend.
Special weekend
Pictured from left to right are RFCA cadet administrative assistants Becky Wathey, Graeme Elstob and Neil Calpin.
“We like to go to town at Christmas and fill the place with all the festive sparkle that the cadets really enjoy,” said cadet administrative assistant Graeme.
“The place is full of tinsel, Christmas trees and snowmen. Our aim is for the cadets to walk in and know that it’s going to be a special weekend of fun, socialising and belonging.”
In Yorkshire (North and West), the army cadets are holding five Christmas camps – all at Strensall – one for each company and around 80 cadets and 20 cadet force adult volunteers attending each weekend. Humberside and South Yorkshire army cadets are also staging similar Christmas weekends.
Welcome to cadets
“Covid restictions mean we can’t welcome as many cadets as we do in a typical year but we’re glad to be giving cadets a Christmas that is something akin to normal, “ said Yorkshire (North and West) executive officer Tom Woodall.
“Next year, however, we hope we’ll be able to provide a Christmas supper with all the trimmings within the headquarters itself. This year the cadets will content themselves with heading off to the camp’s refectory for their meals but it will still be a special weekend for them.”