For action and adventure, fun and friendship, the Army Cadet Force is hard to beat. With 41,000 cadets (aged 12-18) and 9,500 adults in over 1,600 locations in every corner of the United Kingdom, the ACF is one of the country’s largest voluntary youth organisations. It is also one of the oldest, tracing its history back to 1859.
Many young people are missing out on the challenges and adventures that could transform their lives but joining the Army Cadets can change that. We welcome boys and girls (aged over 12 and in at least year eight at school) of all abilities and backgrounds. When they join us we encourage them to learn more, do more and try more. We inspire them to aim high and pursue their goals, no matter what they aim to do in life.
Cadets follow a syllabus called the Army Proficiency Certificate (APC) which gets more challenging each year. As they learn more about each topic and get better at it, they go up through the star levels until reaching four star or even Master Cadet. Subjects include the following:
As well as the APC topics, they also get the chance to have a go at a wide range of exciting adventurous training activities (including kayaking, abseiling, climbing, caving, skiing and mountain biking, plus loads more) and also the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Weekend training camps run every few months and there is a week long Annual Camp in the summer.
Adult Volunteers
The Army Cadet Force is also welcoming new Adult Volunteers. You can choose to be a Civilian Assistant or train to be a Probationary Instructor before moving up the ranks when you have more skills and experience. Our Volunteers come from all backgrounds and not having served in the military or been a cadet is no barrier to joining!
Ticknall Detachment’s Commander has this advice for aspiring Volunteers:
I joined the ACF in May 2014 having been impressed by what I’d read online about the activities of cadets and the training given by instructors. There have been some truly inspiring events such as cadets giving life-saving first aid, winning national sports competitions and earning qualifications that will give them a head start in a competitive job market. It is great fun working with cadets. It is amazing to see their personal development from when they first begin with us right through to becoming a senior cadet and seeing them thrive on responsibilities they are given.
I am an Under Officer training to join the commissioned ranks. My ambition is to become a leader within the organisation that has already given me many opportunities. I am now a qualified mountain biking instructor, obstacle course supervisor, Duke of Edinburgh mentor and first aider. I have made many friends along the way and have never looked back. There really is something for everyone and I encourage you to join us- you will love it!
To find out more about Ticknall Detachment please contact Paul Thomas on 07748 332058.
For further information about the Army Cadet Force and to register online please visit: https://armycadets.com
You can also download the following documents direct from this website.
