Ten Cadet Force Adult Volunteers from across the Lowlands of Scotland have received a prestigious award from the young people they work with for their contribution to the Cadet Forces.
For the past five years, the Cadet Adult Recognition Awards (CARAs) has sought to acknowledge the dedication and selflessness of the Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) who give their time and talents to help young people aged 12-18 develop new skills, prepare for adult life and make friendships that can last a lifetime.
This year’s winners are:
- Sea Cadets East – Probationary Petty Officer Graham, Edinburgh Trinity Sea Cadets
‘It’s wonderful to think the Cadets think so highly of me. The Cadets mean everything to me, they make the unit, all the different characters that come here, and they make it a great place to come. Thinking that I can teach them in some way is very rewarding indeed.’
In the press: Edinburgh Evening News
- Sea Cadets West – Company Sergeant Major Riley, Royal Marines Cadets Northern Area
‘I’m delighted to be this year’s winner for Sea Cadets West. I was quite amazed to have been selected, the last thing I expected was to be chosen by the Cadets. We’re giving them knowledge, experience and life skills. The Cadets mean the world to me, instructing them and teaching them. But for them to take away different skill sets is a great thing.’
When asked what he loved most about volunteering with the Cadet Forces, Riley explained: ‘I like training other adults, to bring them into the organisation, whether they have a military background or not. Watching them develop and grow is just lovely to see.’
- Air Cadets East – Flying Officer Chelsea-Louise Rennie, 2535 (Livingston) Air Cadets
‘I am delighted to have won one of this year’s CARAs. To have won this award means so much because it’s voted for by the Cadets, and they’re the reason I volunteer.
When asked what the Cadets mean to her, new mum Rennie replied with a wry smile: ‘The Cadets are like children I never knew I had. They challenge you every single day and they encourage you to be your best. If they don’t want to do something, seeing you do it and facing the fear for yourself makes them want to face their fear and try something for the first time.’
- Air Cadets West – Frances Paton, 1138 (Ardrossan) Air Cadets
‘I was absolutely astonished to be nominated by the Cadets, who mean a lot to me. I got involved as an adult volunteer because I had seen the opportunities my son had received as a Cadet and I wanted to make sure other young people in the community could have the same. When you see them join as young teenagers and see them transform into confident, well-grounded and skilled young adults, it’s incredible.’
- Glasgow & Lanarkshire – Sergeant Grierson, 3 Platoon (RSB) Newmains
‘To win this award means absolutely everything because I never even thought I would be nominated, it means the world and I want to thank everyone for supporting me.
‘Winning this award will encourage me to keep doing what I’ve been doing and help reach other Cadets. I’m not quite sure what I’ve done to earn this, I’ve just done whatever the Cadets have needed me to do, but this is really encouraging because whatever I’m doing must be working.’
- Glasgow & Lanarkshire Runner Up – Sergeant Martin, 3 Troop Airdrie Royal Engineers
‘Winning this award means I’m doing something right. I love helping Cadets, not just with the Cadet Force syllabus and all the additional qualifications, but helping them prepare for life by doing mock job interviews, helping them apply for college, getting them into apprenticeships.’
- West Lowland – Staff Sergeant Fitzsimmons, Paisley Royal Engineers
‘When I found out I had won it was quite heartwarming because I know these nominations have come from the Cadets themselves. I would like to thank all the Cadets for their nominations and also the team of adult instructors I’ve got around me.
‘This award is different to other awards because it comes directly from the Cadets, and they’re the reason I volunteer and deliver what I do. Knowing that they’ve gone out of their way to put in a nomination means the world.’
In the press: Renfrewshire 24 News
In the press: The Glasgow Times
- West Lowland Runner Up – Colour Sergeant Halliday, Lockerbie Detachment
‘I am taken aback to win this award, it means a lot to me because it means I’m doing something right. I didn’t know my Cadets were putting me forward for this which I will thank them for in due course. It’s good recognition for all the CFAVs in the West Lowland Battalion (Army Cadet Force). I can’t wait to let the Cadets know that their nominations weren’t in vain.’
- Lothian & Borders – Sergeant Stevenson, 32 Platoon Prestonpans Detachment
‘When I got the phone call to say I had won I started tearing up, to be recognised in this manner fills my heart with joy. I believe in the Army Cadet Force ethos – inspire to achieve – and I believe in the power of the Cadets for young people. I would like to thank my Cadets, this award goes out to every Cadet in our Battalion.’
In the press: Edinburgh Evening News
- Lothian & Borders Runner Up – Company Sergeant Holmes, 29 Platoon Whitburn Detachment
‘This is so close to my heart and I’m so thankful for it as it came from the Cadets and they’ve taken time out of their lives to do the nomination; for that I will be extremely grateful forever.
‘I’ve been in the Cadet Forces for ten years and it never ceases to amaze me the satisfaction you get from a Cadet coming in age twelve, leaving age eighteen, being a confident and outgoing young person. It helps them if they want to go into the military, or go on to study at college or university. It gives them vital life skills. I love that they’ve paid it back to me, that they’ve recognised the time I’ve put into developing them.’
In the press: Edinburgh Evening News
All nominations for the CARAs are submitted by Cadet members of the Army Cadet Force, Sea Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps. Now in its fifth year, the CARAs 2024 received a record number of nominations, highlighting the immense admiration the Cadets have for their adult instructors.
Lowland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) has been running the CARAs annually since 2020, and hosted an online award ceremony on its YouTube channel on Friday 6 December.
As well as receiving a prestigious CARAs certificate, each winner was also presented with a gift voucher sponsored by a local business. This gives Lowland organisations an opportunity to show support for the hard-working adult volunteers, some of whom are members of their own workforces. This year’s sponsors were:
- Foresite Reactive Maintenance Services Ltd
- The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland
- CTH Auto Services
- Scottish Land and Estates
- Mcgills Buses
- DMI Fire and Security LTD
- ZE Global Ltd
- ISafe Homes Ltd
- Intelligent Growth Solutions Ltd
- Respray Your Kitchen & Furniture Ltd
As well as sponsoring a CARA, Scottish Land and Estates’ Ross Ewing (Director of Moorland) also sat on the judging panel. A Naval Reservist, Ross was delighted to take part in this year’s award. He explained: ‘I used to be an Air Cadet which was a fantastic experience, learning to fly planes and participating in international camps. I even learnt to fly an aeroplane before I learnt to drive a car, which was amazing. It was a fantastic part of my life and something I’m really proud of.
‘Being in the Cadets is enabled by the Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and it’s for that reason that SLE is absolutely delighted to be a sponsor. CFAVs go above and beyond to making sure the Cadet experience counts and I know having been through it myself just how important those CFAVs are. We’ve been overwhelmed by the nominations that have come in and we can’t wait to see the winners crowned on the night.’
Well done to each and everyone of this year’s winners.
