18
expeditions
The chance to travel can often prove challenging yet immensely rewarding
ExpEditions offEr cadEts and adults
a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore
new countries, experience new cultures and
get involved in activities that will provide
conversation matter for years to come. they
can contribute to a duke of Edinburgh’s
award, give a cV a huge boost and result
in friendships that will last for life. it’s no
wonder they’re so popular.
Expeditions are a central part of army
cadet life and can range from a few nights
camping in the lake district to a couple of
weeks on safari in Kenya. several groups of
cadets from durham acf even spent time in
the peruvian rainforests and the Himalayas in
2008. But wherever cadets go and whatever
they do, there will have been months of
preparation to ensure that there’s a packed
programme of activities and that everyone
involved is kept safe and well.
to make this process easier, a new course
has recently been set up to help adult
volunteers with every part of organising an
expedition. titled Expedition leadership
Management, the workshop covers issues
involved in organising expeditions to farflung
countries such as Morocco, south
africa or nepal – places that are becoming
more popular every year. these issues include
complicated visa applications, respecting
and honouring local customs and even
acclimatising to altitude.
a highlight of the 2008 expedition
calendar was a two-week expedition to
Brunei by 12 cadets from surrey acf. during
the unforgettable experience they spent five
days (and nights!) in the jungle, learning
basic survival skills, first aid techniques and
jungle navigation under the expert gaze of
regular soldiers from the royal Gurkha rifles.
as well as the many acf expeditions
already planned for 2010, preparations are
also under way for a series of major trips to
celebrate the cadet forces’ 150th anniversary.
these will see army cadets travel to canada,
namibia and Mount Everest, while cadets
from all four services will undertake a joint
expedition to lesotho in africa.
2nd lieutenant
sarah howes
staffs and west
midlands (n) aCf
Sarah has been an
instructor for six years.
Having been a cadet
she decided to “give
something back”
What do cadets get
out of expeditions?
An opportunity to see
and do different things,
and experience different
cultures. They also get
the chance to show off
their leadership and
teamwork skills.
What was your most
recent expedition?
It was to Kenya in 2007.
We learned about the
local culture, went
white-water rafting and
climbed Mount Kenya.
There are plans for a
trip to Namibia or Peru
next year, so I’m hoping
to get on one of those.
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