Page 56 - Bugle Issue 16 Autumn 2020

YORKSHIRE NEWS
YORKSHIRE NORTH & WEST ACF
ANNUAL CAMP 2019
In August 2019 cadets and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers travelled to Ballykinler, Northern Ireland to take part in Yorkshire North & West ACF’s two-week summer camp. The camp was perfectly located
in a cove in stunning countryside. Senior cadets in the Company joined forces with others from across the County in the ‘Merlin’ cadre. Over the two weeks this experienced group of cadets developed their self-reliance, leadership, and team building skills through taking part in fieldcraft exercises, adventure training,
The current situation has brought both challenges and opportunities for music as Minden Band & Bugles have had to adapt to a completely alien way of training and are learning rapidly on the job.
Every Wednesday the cadets and adults meet over zoom then break off into separate Google classrooms: flutes, drums, and bugles. The adult volunteers are delivering a combi- nation of live feed training mixed with quizzes and games that go hand in hand in confirming learning from lessons. There are plans afoot for exciting musical projects and competitions as well as discussions of a potential collaboration at Brigade Level. One of our great successes was the collaboration with Durham ACF Band & Bugles to produce a virtual retreat that was viewed on the websites of 17 councils across the North & North East.
Minden Band & Bugles member Cadet Karla Fell who plays the flute said: “The adults are working very hard to provide training resources. Cadets are still set work to complete weekly and are expected to record performances and upload the results. It is
a different way of learning, but we are still having the same fun and laughter. On behalf of all the cadets I would like to say we are very grateful for all the hard work the adults are putting in and we appreciate it very much.”
Bugle Major CSjt Craig Rosser said. “There has never been a better time to learn new skills, and along with the cadets, our adults are most definitely honing their IT skills to levels that they would not usually have the time to do. So, from here we continue in
the true spirt of The Rifles ‘Swift & Bold.’
command tasks and social activities.
Junior cadets experienced wide ranging activities including fieldcraft, shooting, training in built up areas, signals and adventure training in the sea and surrounding countryside. It was an enjoyable and successful camp for all the Company with several cadets scooping end of camp awards including Cadet Rebecca Jones (Pontefract Detachment) who was awarded the Commandant’s Medal for outstanding performance.
Col Jim Greenlee and
Cdt Rebecca Jones
Cdt Karla Fell
BM Craig Rosser
ARMED FORCES DAY COMPETITION SUCCESS
Cadet Lance Corporal Benjamin Wheeler and Cadet Josh Atkinson both scooped prizes in an Armed Forces Day 2020 competition
launched by Yorkshire North & West Army Cadet Force in June. Both cadets created eye-catching posters cele-
brating our armed forces. They each won signed copies of books written by Jordan Wylie, one of the National Army Cadet Force Ambassadors. Jordan is
a former soldier, extreme adventurer and one of the stars of Channel 4’s BAFTA nominated shows ‘Hunted’ and ‘Celebrity Hunted’ and had
kindly donated prizes to the competition after taking part in a Question & Answer
session with Yorkshire North & West ACF cadets in May.
Cdt L/Cpl Benjamin Wheeler
Armed Forces Day Competition winner
NORTH
REGION
OVERVIEW
The North and North East Region spent the latter part of 2019 conducting their annual events, Dinners, memorial services, Christmas events and dedications
of such things as Sheppard VC
gate in Barnsley unaware of the unprecedented events to come. Plans for 2020 were well advanced, the formation of the Rifleman’s Asso- ciation in the North East, Community Events in Durham involving 3 and 8 RIFLES and The Band & Bugles, and the plethora of events conducted by both Associations and the various ACF Counties.
The current pandemic changed all our well laid plans as it did with the remainder of the country. Collective events were cancelled but that did not deter the Riflemen of the North and North East for too long. ZOOM became the new way to conduct activities. The ACF trained on a regular basis, Cadet Bands & Bugles produced high quality concerts and Soundings of Retreat to maintain The Rifles in the community and our veteran buglers played nightly in honour of the victims of the Pandemic. Of special note is Paul ‘Sammy’ Goose from Barnsley has sounded Last Post and Reveille nightly during the pandemic. Paul began his nightly routine on 29
March and intends to do so until the pandemic ends. Each performance is live-streamed and dedicated to NHS staff, key workers, and victims of the pandemic.
It is of no surprise to see that the Pillars of The Rifles have adapted to the situation and enhanced the good name of The Rifles in the region and maintained the momentum for our planned events in 2021.
Paul Sammy
Goose daily
Last Post tribute
56 RIFLES The Bugle
MINDEN BAND & BUGLES GO VIRTUAL