Page 8 - Cadet Review Autumn 2023

Joint Service News
the best thing to have on a walk is a supportive team.” “The mountain threw up many challenges,
physically and mentally, but we all pushed through and navigated our way up” said Sergeant Oliver Clipsham (2388 Castleford Sqn) and Cadet Isla Horsman (886 Ripon Sqn), who walked the higher route.
“I enjoyed this camp so much this my fifth time here, compared to all the camps I have been on during my cadet career this is by far the most enjoyable” added Sergeant Zak Munday (185 Batley Sqn).
DAY 5: We were split again into two different groups, one for orienteering and the other for mountain walking. The orienteers were also split into different sub groups and each given points to go find on a map, if you got back first with all of the points then you won gloves as a prize. This was an opportunity to bond with the rest of the group that you were put in.
The mountain walkers were split into 3 groups
and walked up Cadair Idris from the car park to the summit. The first part of the walk was steep along a set of stairs that ran alongside a river and waterfall from the mountain. This leg of the journey brought
us to a lake in a dip surrounded by the mountains we climbed, this also gave us a view of the valley that runs on the other side of the mountains. After this we began another steeper ascent and also spotted some Globemaster aircraft flying down the valley and much lower than us by then and later a Typhoon flying past. Eventually we reached the peak of Penygadair and had a break for lunch, most in the shelter near the Trig Point, and welcome break from the chilly wind, before descending again. Almost everyone dunked their heads in the river on the way back, with one cadet being heard to say “the best part of the walk was the cooling off in the mountain stream”.
We all had a great time.
“The walk on Cadair Idris was very exciting, yet tiring, however it is an experience that I would like to take the opportunity to do it again” said Sergeant Shuriya Kundra (1053 Armthorpe Sqn).
AtfirstIwasa bit scared but everyone was supportive and helped us make the most out of it and I ended up having the time of my life
DAY 6: The last full day of the camp was really fun; it was a very busy morning with setting up for the white water rafting. We arrived there before 1000 hours and got all of wetsuits and equipment ready. Once everything was set the cadets were split into groups of 6 and were briefed on how to safely complete the activity. As soon as we were fully briefed we loaded our rafts onto a trailer, and jumped into a minibus which was brought up to the top of the river. This was when the cadets were released into the waters where we met our first lot of rapids. It was a thrilling journey over waves, around rocks and through big dips in the water. We all had smiling faces whether it was when we were on top of the water or soaked from head to toe. Thanks to the instructor’s help and support and to our teamwork we ended the activity with moments to remember with new friends.
“Everyone was smiling and laughing which made the experience even more enjoyable.”
“The instructors were really kind and let us have tons of fun while still meeting the goal and safely getting to the end.”
“Nobody got out dry but nobody got out without a smile either.”
“At first I was a bit scared but everyone was supportive and helped us make the most out of it and I ended up having the time of my life” said Cadet Kalina Davies (195 Grimsby Sqn).
The camp completed with a smile and the inevitable rain shower, a seemingly permanent feature of the weather during most of the week, but which failed
to dampen both the enthusiasm and spirits of the cadets and staff alike, and then they were off, for
the long coach journey home to Yorkshire and the Humber, with big smiles, new friends and so many memories of how Adventure Training can change their lives. Many will wish to return to Fairbourne when the next camp is organised and participate either in Snowdonia or other superb locations where AT can be run, safely, but with the cadets enjoying the experience, developing new skills and gaining national awards which will help them in their aims.
Mountain Biking Award
By Flight Sergeant Jake Thomas
During the Adventure Training week at Fairbourne several cadets and adults also gained National Governing Body awards in mountain biking.
The Mountain-bike Instructor Award Scheme (MIAS) is a development course in which it teaches the fundamentals of coaching and skills in order to become a mountain bike instructor.
MIAS Level 1 consists of 15 guided hours of riding in groups and a consolidation of your personal skills, ending with an assessment to evaluate our competency and coaching ability.
At the start of the course on the Saturday we helped the staff to instruct
the cadets on their skills tests to sort out their groupings for when we were to go to the trail centre. The next day we were shadowing staff on how to coach on a trail with being taught different ways of coaching the cadets. We then completed the different trails whilst having a go at guiding the cadets down with the help from the instructors.
Later in the week we took cadets out in groups with instructors coaching us on how to manage a group of cadets on a flat trail. We then were taken out by the assessor to conduct our assessments as a group with taking it in turns to lead the group and navigate parts of the trail.
It has been a really good experience and have learned many new things being from how to manage cadets to how to repair bikes when they break on trail and I look forward to developing the next generation with their skills.
Pictured are three of the cadets who gained awards, Sergeants George Daw, Zak Munday and Flight Sergeant Jake Thomas.
8 CADET REVIEW AUTUMN 2023