The Results are in! Units win top money prizes
The RFCA for Yorkshire and the Humber is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Yorkshire Cadet Trust Photography Competition:
1st Place, £250 prize money: Penistone Grammar School CCF with the photo ‘’Cam Cream Chaos’.
2nd Place, £150 prize money: Lumley/Acomb Detachment (B Company) Yorkshire (North & West) Army Cadet Force with the photo ‘Yesterday – Tomorrow’.
3rd Place, £100 prize money: 2434 (Church Fenton) Squadron RAFAC, Central & East Yorkshire Wing with the photo ‘Buzzing’.
Overwhelming response with record entries
The winning entries were selected for capturing the theme “Life in the Cadets”, illustrating the real spirit of cadet life. Submissions demonstrated a wide range of activity from drill practice and classroom lessons, to community activities and adventurous training. This year’s competition saw an impressive increase in entrants and entries from the previous year, up 111 percent and 88 percent respectively. Prize money must go towards funding units’ and squadrons’ resources for cadet activity.
From the Winners…
First place winner, Penistone Grammar School Combined Cadet Force, photo by Contingent Commander Lieutenant Jason Wetherall:
“Two Senior Non-Commissioned Officers caught in the wild, proving that even seasoned pros need a buddy when it comes to cam cream chaos. One’s clearly the artist, smearing stripes like it’s war paint before battle; the other’s trusting the process, hoping not to end up looking like a raccoon. It’s a classic case of “I got your back—literally.” This moment shows that teamwork isn’t just for tactics, it’s for making sure your camo game is strong and your nose isn’t glowing like a beacon. Cadet tip: always help your buddy blend in… unless you want them to be the decoy.”
The prize money will be spent on the purchase of Trangia stoves for the unit to benefit all of our cadets on Adventurous Training weekends.
Second place winner, Lumley/Acomb Detachment, B Company, Yorkshire (N&W) Army Cadet Force , photo by Sergeant Instructor (SI) John Pletts:
“In July this year, cadets and adult volunteers from B Company’s York-based detachments attended a very special event organised by the Derwent Valley Light Railway in Murton. A ceremony was held to name a locomotive after York D-Day veteran, Ken Smith, who died in 2020. York’s sole remaining D-Day veteran, 99 year-old Ken Cooke, laid a wreath. Cadet Eddie Pletts (son of SI John Pletts) then made a special surprise presentation to Ken in advance of reaching his 100th birthday in August. The gift was handmade by SI Pletts.”
Third place winner, 2434 (Church Fenton) Squadron, Central and East Yorkshire Wing, photo by Cadet Corporal Dom Sutton:
“After an unforgettable flight at RAF Leeming, Sergeant Preston climbed out of the Grob Tutor grinning from ear to ear. She’d had the chance to take the controls and feel what it was like to really fly, something she’d dreamed of for a long time. The experience left her buzzing with excitement, full of stories to share, and inspired her friends to look forward to their own flights.”
The prize money will be spent on a Squadron camera to support training and activities. This will allow cadets to learn valuable media and photography skills, giving them hands-on experience in capturing events. The camera will also be used at socials and Squadron functions, to help record and share memories while promoting teamwork, creativity, and achievements.
From the Judging Panel
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Wayne Pledger MBE, Secretary and Treasurer to the Yorkshire Cadet Trust said,
“On behalf of the Yorkshire Cadet Trust, we were thrilled with the outstanding response to this year’s photography competition. Every entry was exceptional, perfectly capturing the theme “Life in the Cadets”. Selecting just three winners was a challenging task, as every photograph demonstrated remarkable skill, creativity, and thoughtful composition. We were particularly delighted by the high volume of entries and the evident enthusiasm from units across the region.
“The submissions powerfully illustrated the diverse opportunities available to cadets and showcased the full spectrum of experiences within the Cadet Forces. It was inspiring to see “Life in the Cadets” represented across all services and regions. Thank you to every participating unit, and heartfelt congratulations to our three winning photographers.”