Rochdale boost for cadet forces adult volunteers

Army Cadets on parade in Rochdale in 2015

Cadets working for Rochdale Borough Council will be allocated additional annual leave afterthe council extended its Reserve Forces Policy to cover all adult cadet instructors.

From this month, all adult cadet instructors, whether from the Sea Cadet Corps, the Army Cadet Force or the Air Training Corps, will be granted an extra ten days paid leave to attend cadet camps and training courses while working for the council. Previously they would need to have used holiday entitlement for the training, but this change now gives them the same leave entitlement as reserve soldiers.

Councillor Richard Farnell, Leader of Rochdale Borough Council said: “The Cadet Forces offer so much for young men and women all across the UK. These organisations cannot operate without adult volunteers who give up so much free time. By implementing this policy we hope other organisations follow our lead. The Armed Forces Covenant is an important document which builds a bond between the community and the Armed Forces Family.”

Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force Commander Col Mike Glover TD said: “Adult volunteers in the Army Cadet Force use much of their spare time, including evenings, weekends and a two-week annual camp to help young people in the Army Cadet Force achieve their full potential. It is a tremendous boost to morale for this to be recognised by Rochdale Borough Council. This policy will be greatly appreciated by that dedicated band of volunteers who give up so much time to training young people in the borough.”

The Army Cadet Force is a youth training organisation funded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and provides clothing, equipment, firearms and training support from the Regular Amy and the Army Reserve. Command, control, governance and safeguarding are exercised through the army chain of command; however, the ACF does not form part of the fighting strength of the British Army and Adult Volunteers do not have a call-up liability.

Wing Commander David Forbes DL RAFVR(T) Rtd regional chairman North, Air Cadets added: “Adult Cadet Instructors give up so much time when volunteering. This policy will allow more instructors to attend training camps and annual camps which will benefit the cadets. Rochdale Borough Council has been breaking the mold for some time regarding the support it offers to the armed forces family and I hope organisations and local authorities across Greater Manchester and nationally follow Rochdale’s lead.”

Councillor Alan McCarthy, lead member for the Armed Forces added: “The benefits the cadet forces bring to us as a community cannot be measured. These benefits are because of the selfless sacrifice made by the instructors. We hope this policy will encourage more organisations to offer the same incentive to their employees.”