Cadets develop their leadership skills

An action-packed autumn event inspiring teenagers to 'be all they can be' was co-hosted by Alleyn School CCF in London. The school partnered with YOU London to offer 11 uniformed youth groups the opportunity to get hands-on experience of leadership.

The two-day development weekend for 15-18 year olds featured inspiring speakers from military, industry and emergency services backgrounds, practical challenges and theoretical discussion.

Major Benest, Alleyn’s CCF Contingent Commander, said: ‘The opportunities to offer hands-on leadership experience, coupled with inspirational talks, is vital to inspire and upskill the next generation. I am extremely proud of the staff, cadets and the wider Alleyn’s team for making the weekend possible.'

Challenges were run by the Met Police, Fire Brigade, St John’s Ambulance, Army, Royal Air Force,

Royal Navy, Alleyn’s CCF and Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land, and included hose work and engine drills, first aid triage, a gun run, collaborative flight simulation, STEM-based command tasks, a virtualreality battle drill, an RC Challenger 2 tank assault course and the execution of a search warrant.

Speakers included Lib Peck (Director of the Mayor of London’s newly established Violence Reduction Unit), the Lord Lieutenant of London Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, endurance athlete Major (retd) Sally Orange and Chris Grant, chair of both the British Basketball Federation and English Football’s Integrated Coaching Board.