It was a celebration of all things CCF yesterday afternoon and evening (Tuesday 10 December) as all pupils involved with our CCF programme gathered for a series of activities. First was a CCF parade before our pupils gathered in the Lecture Theatre to hear from two external speakers.
First to speak was former Special Forces, Ben Gallagher, who suffered life-changing injuries serving in the military on active duty. Following complex trauma, Ben went through a long period of recovery including months of rehabilitation, but resilience, optimism and determination are qualities that highlighted his consistent drive to succeed before becoming a professional athlete. Ben has since represented Great Britain at rowing and has had many successes in the sport, achieving British, European, and World Indoor Rowing Champion and representing England Rowing Team at the Home International Rowing Regatta. Ben hopes to compete at the Paralympic Games alongside training to be a coach. His mission is to promote para-sports, and to encourage and inspire others.
The second speaker was Sally Orange MBE. Sally is an endurance runner, adventure athlete and mental health campaigner. She is the only person on the planet to complete a marathon on every continent in fancy dress; she also holds multiple Guinness World Records and world firsts, has run over 80 marathons, completed eight full Ironman Triathlons and has completed 22 years’ exemplary service in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Physiotherapy Officer. This included an operational tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Thank you to Ben and Sally for taking the time to talk to our pupils. It was fantastic to hear about your stories and we’re sure our pupils will have been inspired by them too!
As well as a dinner in the OVR, the evening also provided the opportunity to celebrate our pupils’ achievements and hand out awards. In the Army Section, all pupils completed their:
- Basic and 1 Star Adventurous Training
- Basic and 1 Star Expedition
- Basic and 1 Star Navigation
The Navy Section all completed Navy Basics while in the RAF Section, the following awards were handed out:
- Best Attendance: Cdt Fisher
- OC Award for Service to the Squadron: Cdt Babic
- Best JNCO: Cpl Dransfield
- Most Improved: Cdt Padrick
Speaking after the evening, CCF SSI and Contingent Commander, Mrs Hanlon, said:
‘As Head of the Combined Cadet Force, I couldn’t be prouder of everything we’ve achieved this year so far. Yesterday’s CCF Awards and Christmas Dinner was a true celebration of our cadets’ hard work, determination, and growth. We were honoured to hear from Sally Orange and Ben Gallagher, whose inspiring stories reminded us of the importance of resilience and learning from life’s challenges.
A huge thank you to Thomas Franks as well for the amazing meal and congratulations to everyone who has earned awards and recognition this year.’
Flickr album: CCF Parade, Awards, and Dinner 2024 |
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