Latest News

Student flying high as Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet

A student from King Edward’s School, Birmingham is proud to be one of the Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadets for the West Midlands region this year.  One of the highest honours a cadet can achieve, Year 12 student Cadet Sergeant Zain Aslam was appointed to the role at a virtual investiture ceremony held in April. Zain is one of eight cadets, drawn from across the military…

Old Hill Detachment ACF receive laptops to boost online learning

Army Cadets at the Old Hill Detachment in Sandwell were overjoyed to receive two Toshiba Notebooks which will help the cadets to access their online studies and maintain social contact. The Notebooks are part of a generous donation of IT equipment gifted to Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force, following fundraising by The Friends of Staffordshire Army Cadet Force Trust;…

My journey from Reservist to Cadet Force Adult Volunteer

Petty Officer (SCC) Lisa Wood MA is the Officer in Charge of Redditch & Bromsgrove Sea Cadets. As a volunteer, Lisa has embraced the opportunity to help develop the lives of young people in her community; here she shares her journey to becoming a Cadet Force Adult Volunteer (CFAV). I served in the Royal Naval Reserves in Birmingham, at HMS Forward, for over…

Sea Cadets Commanding Officer champions benefits of volunteering

Sub-Lieutenant Althea Bumpstead is the Commanding Officer at Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth Sea Cadets.  As Commanding Officer, she oversees and organises the welfare, training and activities for the unit. Outside of the cadets, she works as a Development Officer for Forest Voluntary Action Forum, a charity that supports young people and youth groups. We spoke to Althea to find out why being a volunteer…

West Midland RFCA welcomes new Chair to the REEG

We are very pleased to welcome Calum Nisbet as the new chair of our Regional Employer Engagement Group (REEG) at West Midland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association (RFCA). The REEG is a group of over 20 members made up of senior representatives of the Armed Forces, employer community and WM RFCA. The aim of the REEG is to provide a regional forum for…

Independent report celebrates positive impact of Cadet Forces

Exciting new research into the UK Cadet Forces highlights the positive impacts on young peoples’ development, adult volunteers and wider society. The UK currently has 130,000 cadets and almost 30,000 adult volunteers supporting them. This follows the Cadet Expansion Programme launched by the UK Government in 2012 which saw the number of school cadet units double to over 500 by last year. During…

IT and cyber security business signs Armed Forces Covenant

Superfast IT has become one of the latest organisations in the West Midlands to show their support for our military community by signing the Armed Forces Covenant.  Hosted as a virtual event, the signing was attended by Wing Commander Simon Briggs of the Royal Air Force. The organisation has pledged its support to the Armed Forces Covenant; a promise that those who serve…