The many and varied opportunities provided to young people who join the Air Cadets were demonstrated to a Member of the Senedd who visited the Ruthin Squadron last week.
Clwyd West MS Darren Millar was invited to attend a meeting of Ruthin Air Cadets and enjoyed “an informative and inspiring visit”.
Squadrons across the UK meet twice a week, and in Ruthin this is on Mondays and Thursdays from 7pm until 9.30pm.
Cadets have many opportunities including UK and overseas camps, leadership courses, air experience flights and pilot training. The focus is always on the cadets enjoying themselves while improving their skills.
Darren, who was Chair of the Senedd’s Cross Party Group on the Armed Forces and Cadets for over 15 years before standing down earlier this year due to his commitments as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said:
“Being an Air Cadet is a rewarding and fulfilling experience and I was delighted to meet with the cadets in Ruthin last week to find out more about how being a cadet is benefitting them.
“My visit was both informative and inspiring. I spoke with several cadets across different ranks and ages, who all expressed enthusiasm about the program and highlighted personal growth in confidence, leadership, and time management.
“The Air Cadets provide a valuable service to our young people by promoting responsibility, teamwork, and skills development.
“It also provides them with an array of exciting opportunities and in the last few months the cadets in Ruthin have been flying, gliding, shooting, kayaking and abseiling.
“During my visit, the staff, made up of dedicated volunteers, emphasised their commitment to youth development and creating a supporting learning environment.
“Both the staff and the cadets in the Ruthin squadron are a welcoming, friendly bunch, and I would encourage any young person interested in gaining a diverse range of skills to consider joining them.
“You can join for however long you want. The Air Cadets are not a recruiting organisation for the main RAF, so all the skills the cadets learn and experiences they gain will benefit whatever career path they choose.
“All Air Cadets can also benefit from training and gain qualifications that will be useful for all career choices, both in and out of the RAF.”
Cllr Anne Roberts MBE, who joined Darren on the visit, said:
“It was an absolute pleasure to visit the Ruthin squadron with Darren and meet the wonderful cadets.
“They are a lovely group, and it would be great to see more young people getting involved and taking advantage of the many opportunities the Air Cadets provides.”
The next recruitment intake in Ruthin starts on Monday September 8th.
If you are aged 12-17 and in school year 8+ visit Royal Air Force Air Cadets | Royal Air Force Air Cadets where you find further information on how to join the Ruthin Squadron. Alternatively, you can contact them through their Facebook page, Ruthin Air Cadets.
