A team of cadets from 2402 (Burghfield) Squadron have won the inaugural Berkshire Skills Weekend in style. The event, which in this Cadet 150 year, featured teams from both the Army Cadets and Air Cadets, was held at Bramley Training Area in Hampshire and tested the cadets in skills such as teamwork, navigation, field craft, map reading and problem solving.

The cadets gathered on the Saturday for a briefing from the Exercise Controller, Flt Lt Richard Andrews, before moving into a team building phase where the cadets from both services were mixed into Joint Service teams before taking part in practical exercises and a revision of basic field craft skills. After dinner it was straight into the Night Exercise, the first assessed event, where the teams had to move across a 500 acre acre meetings agents and solving clues as well as trying to capture an “enemy general”. The night exercise ended with the teams gathering equipment that they constructed to attack a “rescue helicopter”. Next morning it was up bright and early for the skills tests. These included First Aid, a low level obstacle course and a patrol lane before the teams moved onto an afternoon of low ropes exercises and orienteering.

Sqn Ldr Mark Trevena was impressed with the cadets “all of the cadets and staff have really buckled down to make this activity a real success – they have worked hard, really mixed well together and have enjoyed the activities on offer. It really shows the true value of joinery”.

The limited edition trophy for this Cadet 150 Competition was presented by the Berkshire Joint Services Cadet Committee Chairman, Lt Col Clive Ainsley, who said “I saw super levels of enthusiasm today and I hope this event will form the foundation for a tri-service event next year. This has been a very enjoyable activity for everyone involved and I congratulate the Burghfield Air Cadets on winning the competition”.

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