The annual CCF Tower Dinner once again marked the start of “the long goodbye” for our Year 13 cadets, bringing together 37 senior cadets from all three Sections for an evening of celebration and reflection. This year’s dinner was held at the impressive Headquarters of the Royal Fusiliers at the Tower of London, providing a fitting and memorable setting for the occasion.
This was a particularly significant year for the Contingent, as it marked the first time senior cadets from the Girls’ School were able to attend. Four years on from becoming a mixed Contingent, we were delighted to see our senior girls reaching SNCO ranks for the first time, a milestone worth celebrating. Our thanks go to Tamara (13 IBW/CAJ) for saying Grace and to Jayani (13 RDD/CAP) for leading the Toast to the King.
Following an excellent meal, the cadets heard from Contingent Commander James Dunlop, who reflected on the achievements of the Contingent over the past year and shared his hopes for its future. The evening then culminated in speeches from three senior cadets, Albie (U6C3) (Navy), Theo (U6M1) (Army) and Anahad (U6M3) (RAF), who spoke with great warmth, humour and insight about their time in the CCF. Their reflections perfectly captured the friendships formed, challenges overcome and skills developed over the last four years, highlighting the lasting impact of their CCF experience.
This Year 13 cohort have been outstanding ambassadors for the Contingent, and the Officers and staff have been immensely proud to support them on their journey. To provide a cadet’s perspective on what CCF life is really like, we now hand over to one of our senior cadets, who shares their personal reflections on participating in the CCF and what it has meant to them.
Participating in the Royal Navy Section of the CCF has been a truly formative and enjoyable experience for us over the past 4 years. We are the first year of the CCF to have students from the girls’ school incorporated into our ranks, and it is safe to say that it has been a roaring success. Not only has it increased the number of cadets bringing fantastic levels of dedication to our Friday afternoon training sessions, but it has also allowed us to gain a broader range of perspectives, as well as it giving us an opportunity to make friends across both schools.
CCF has given us unique experiences and has also honed invaluable skills in each and every one of us, making it a key source of learning for us outside of the classroom. We have all learnt to sail (with two students, one from each school, gaining their RYA Dinghy Sailing Instructor qualifications during their time in CCF), we have collectively spent a great deal of time on different naval bases across the country, and some of us have even visited active warships and have had further incredible experiences such as learning to fly! Beyond this, we have fostered soft skills that we will carry with us as we leave Habs, such as improved communication skills, teamwork and collaboration skills, and leadership skills. The last of these has perhaps been most impactful, since we have pushed ourselves to lead large groups of younger cadets in activities and have learnt how to organise and plan activities week in, week out, ensuring they are both educational and enjoyable for the cadets.
We are very fortunate to have been supported by our amazing staff officers – teachers from both schools who show an inspiring level of dedication every week. It is safe to say that our school experience would not have been the same without CCF, and we are all beyond grateful to have been a part of it.
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