Page 11 - Cadet Review Spring 2022

not only for her own squadron, but that of all squadrons from across the Wing.
MRS AMANDA HALKETT has been involved with Doncaster Sea Cadet Unit in one capacity or other for some 16 years, and has been in her current role and Chairperson of the Unit Management Team for the last 10 years. At the heart of all that she does for the Sea Cadets and Doncaster Unit is the cadets, where she strives to provide the best that they can possibly have, to start their journey not only in the Sea Cadets but in life through the experiences which the Unit offers. Through her dedication the Unit has seen the financial position of Doncaster Unit double over the very difficult previous financial year. This was not to purely sit in the bank but carry out extensive projects at the Unit which included extensive renovation of the Galley (kitchen) facilities, boat shed and boating provision and security of the Unit. Her dedication can be summed up in one instance, that even when she was not in the best of health, she was in communi- cation with the Unit’s Commanding Officer from her hospital bed!
LIEUTENANT RON WILLIAMS, who unfortunate-
ly could not attend the presentation, has been a member of the Armed Forces Family since 1988, dedicating 33 years in military uniform, including 12 years to the Army Cadet Force. In this time, he has blended his family, his charity work and the Army Cadet Force to enrich the community of Sheffield and Yorkshire. As the Senior Subaltern he is a beacon
of light for the junior officers and Detachment Commanders, where he shares his experience
and best practice with the wider teams. He has
also worked on development projects at County
HQ to support the Platoon Commander structure and Officer Development. He was also the project officer with Sheffield Council and the ACF to host the Invictus Games which is just one of the charity events he has supported, amongst his other work spanning over the last 20 years.
SERGEANT MAJOR INSTRUCTOR MARK YEARDLEY
brings the Army Cadet Force Charter to life in all he does. His passion for developing young people by ensuring he has the skills and knowledge is a real strength of character. His calm and profes- sional approach to volunteering gets the best out of people, and his management of successes such as coaching on the range or assessing on Duke
of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions provides cadets with the very best start in life. During the National Health Crisis, he maintained his volunteering with the cadet force by embracing new ways of working and continued his fundraising success for the Royal British Legion. His voluntary work with local nursing homes and disability charities also demonstrates his commitment to his community and mankind.
MONICA GRAHAM joined the committee at Wakefield Sea Cadets in 2008 as an adult volunteer and during this time she has exceeded all expectations not only in her fundraising efforts, but also in the support she has given to staff, cadets and their families over the years. During the floods in 2015 she was the first to offer assistance in the time of need by offering the unit alternative accommodation for the cadets to carry on parading whilst they were out of the unit over the fifteen month period. Following on from this
His calm and professional approach to volunteering gets the best out of people, and his management of successes such as coaching on the range or assessing
on Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions provides cadets with the very best start in life.
Monica has worked tirelessly to secure additional funding to improve the facilities and make the unit a more secure and pleasant environment for us all to use. More recently following the floods in February 2020 Monica stepped up once again to the challenge, managing to secure funding in excess of £25,000 which has gone towards the much needed refurbish- ment of the toilet/shower facilities and to upgrade the unit’s current IT equipment.
CAPTAIN GAVIN ATHERTON is an outstanding example of a dedicated Adult Volunteer, who has provided more than eight years of voluntary service; joining as an instructor at Huddersfield, before being appointed as Detachment Commander at Spen Valley and then Halifax Detachment. He frequently goes the extra mile for the Cadets in his charge by volunteering for additional duties and overcoming challenging circumstances in order to succeed. During the pandemic he regularly organised and ran virtual parade nights to try and keep both cadets and adults engaged with the Army Cadet Force. He has forged fantastic links with the community of Kirklees, Calderdale and the Aire Valley; leading the way for fundraising and he fills his calendar with charity fund community events, raising the awareness for veterans of recent conflicts with high profile activities and fundraising for the Royal British Legion.
WARRANT OFFICER ADRIAN BURBRIDGE joined
the RAF Air Cadets in 1986 as a cadet, and joined the Adult staff as a Civilian Instructor at 2460 (Pontefract) Squadron in August 1993. In 1997 he moved to 103 detached flight to help support them as they began
to grow; being appointed an Adult Warrant Officer following service at 868 (Mirfield) Squadron, before being posted to 2388 (Castleford) Squadron in 2003. He also served at 148 (Barnsley) Squadron before being appointed as Wing Warrant Officer in 2015. He was instrumental in the co-ordination of a Regional Parade in Doncaster to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Air Cadet Movement which saw in excess of 1,100 cadets and staff parading through Doncaster.
In 2018, he again organised a Regional Parade, in Doncaster to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force, where he was recognised by the Commandant for his invaluable contribution which made the event such a success. He has also made
a significant contribution to National Policy for Ceremonial Drill, and regularly supports other Wings and Regions throughout the Corps with the various drill competitions he has been asked to judge.
WARRANT OFFICER CHRISTOPHER NICHOLS has been an asset to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets
for over 15 years. In that time, he has developed, coached and guided countless young adults, allowing them to learn the skills necessary to flourish later
in life. His effects can be clearly seen, over the past several years as 59 Squadron’s performance in his specialised areas has led to increasing numbers
of awards, culminating in 2019 when the Squadron was incredibly successful in Drill, Banner Drill and Shooting. His competency and skill in his areas of specialisation have been recognised, leading to him being appointed Wing Fieldcraft Officer, where he invests a great deal of time and effort securing the tools and locations necessary to ensure our cadets will be on the forefront of this new area of opportunity.
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