Kind Cadets Deliver Comfort Christmas Parcels To Veterans

16.12.2020
Cadets holding Christmas presents

Kind-hearted Cadets have made Christmas packages of comfort for ex-service personnel after Covid-19 restrictions put their visits on hold. 

Teenagers of the Moffat Academy Linked Detachment regularly link some of their activities such as; coffee mornings, quiz evenings and interviewing veterans with the residents of Dowding House throughout the year.

However, due to the Covid-19 virus, visits to the Dumfriesshire sheltered development owned by the Royal Air Force Association, have been reduced and the Cadets decided to send a box of goods to the Moffat-based home. 

Over six weeks Cadets pulled together on what has been dubbed the ‘Covid Christmas project’ where one group created  a photographic calendar while another wrote a quiz book with service-based activities. Both items were then packaged into boxes along with a refreshment pack, sweet treats and a personally written message from a Cadet to each of the residents in the form of a Christmas card.

Major Stuart Gray,  Linked Detachment Instructor at Moffat Academy and Officer Commanding Minden Company, West Lowland Battalion Army Cadet Force (ACF), also presented the residents with an engraved ACF regimental plaque.

He said: “We see our link to Dowding House as an excellent reminder to the commitment and service of past and present members of our Armed Forces.”

 

Lord Lieutenant for Dumfriesshire, Fiona Armstrong commended the Cadets’ efforts while Brigadier Stuart Williams, Deputy Commander for Cadets at Regional Command, said: “Your initiative to continue to provide support to all within Dowding House is a great idea and will have brought joy to every resident.”

The Linked Detachment model of the Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) has increased the number of young people who can benefit from the Cadet Experience in school and increased the number of state schools benefiting from having a Cadet Force as part of school life.

Meanwhile, Army Cadets around the Lowlands of Scotland have also been working hard to help those less fortunate.  

The Newton Stewart Detachment of the West Lowland Battalion ACF, decided to give donations of foods to Penninghame Church Foodbank and Glasgow and Lanarkshire Battalion ACF Amiens Company Cadets raised money and donated presents for a Salvation Army Christmas gift appeal.



Back
Reserve Forces
Royal Navy Logo Royal Marines Commando Logo Army Logo RAF Reserve Forces Logo
Cadets
Sea Cadets Logo Army Cadet Force Logo Air Cadets Logo Combined Cadet Force Logo