A force to be reckoned with

CONFIDENCE, self-reliance, initiative, resourcefulness, loyalty and a sense of service to others. All qualities the Government is keen to foster by encouraging more schools to turn their playgrounds into parade grounds. Reporter Karen Doherty found out more.

IT’S Thursday night and young people aged from 12 to 18 fall-in at Our Lady’s RC High School.

Boots are polished, berets are straight and buckles are gleaming as they take part in a muster parade.

This is followed by a range of activities. Some do an exercise on how to spot enemy positions while others inspect a battlefield ambulance ahead of an upcoming field exercise in Catterick.

Welcome to the Royton detachment of the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force (ACF) which gives young people the opportunity to take part in a host of military-themed activities such as weapons handling, first aid, field skills and adventure training like canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing and quad biking.

Nationally, there are 130,000 members of the MOD-sponsored Cadet Forces — Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps and Combined Cadet Forces (the latter tend to be in private schools).

They are supported by 25,000 adult volunteers and comprise a mixture of school and community-based units spread over 3,000 UK towns and cities.

The Government wants more state schools to get involved. Royton is among those already leading the way and was one of the first ACF units to be set up in school.

Staff Sergeant Instructor (SSI) David Hewitt, Detachment Commander, explained: “Royton ACF was set up in the school in 2003 — we originally took on 70 new recruits. Since then, we have established ourselves and developed a good base.

“We have got four members of staff at the detachment. The ACF is all voluntary and it’s one of the oldest youth organisations.”

Detachment training is held at the Vaughan Street school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9pm. There are also various weekend training camps as well as the popular Easter and summer camps.

New recruits do 13 weeks’ training and sit a test before earning their uniform. They then work their way through the levels, from one-star to four-star, as well as through the ranks right up to sergeant major and regimental sergeant major.

For some cadets it provides a good grounding for the armed forces or the territorials; for others it is simply a chance to make new friends, learn new skills, gain qualifications — and have fun.

They can achieve a BTEC, worth four GCSEs, and also participate in the highly acclaimed Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.

“It does appeal to a wide range of young people mainly because they are meeting new people and like the training they can get involved in,” said SSI Hewitt (23) who was an army cadet for five years before becoming an adult instructor.

“They make new friends and you often find that it brings some of the shy cadets out of themselves, it makes them more confident, rounded individuals.”

This is reinforced by Sgt Steve Alexander, from the Oldham Army Careers office, who works with Royton ACF.

A former cadet himself, he sad: “We are not training them to be mini-soldiers.

“It’s the discipline, the attitude and the benefits the young people get from going away on camps.”

Highlights for the Royton cadets include meeting the Queen in Manchester in February, collecting £2,329 for the 2007 Poppy Appeal and having their standard dedicated last year and paraded at Oldham’s Festival of Remembrance.

This is all a contrast to the endless stories branding young people as troublemakers.

SSI Hewitt teaches the new diploma in public services at Our Lady’s School and added: “The ACF is a prime example that young people can be portrayed in a very good light.”

Cadets Sergeant Major Laura Shuttleworth (17) and Staff Sergeant Matthew Keegan (16) chatted to me during a break.

Both have gained a BTEC level two, an advanced first aid certificate and are working for a Duke of Edinburgh silver award. Highlights have included a trip to France.

Matthew said: “I joined because I used to play sport here.

“I saw the cadets and it just looked interesting. I joined up with a few mates and I am the only one left.

“I have wanted to go into the regular Army since I was a child and that’s one of the reasons I joined, I thought it would help me on my way.

“I am doing the public service course at school then I hope to go on to Manchester University and hopefully join up as an officer in the Royal Engineers.

While Laura doesn’t think she could hack the regular army, being a cadet has inspired her to become a paramedic.

She aims to do a paramedical sciences degree.

“It was the first aid I learned in the cadets that got me interested,” she said.

“An ex-paramedic taught us and he just made me really interested in becoming a paramedic.”

Both admitted that some people do give them stick for being cadets but Matthew added: “At the end of the day, we are doing something different instead of hanging around street corners.”