Knowing that today would need to be a shorter day on the hill, in order to allow time for traveling back to Oswestry, we decided to make Moel Siabod our target for the day. I’ve taken groups from the school up this particular mountain before, but never in winter conditions and not by this route. [...]

This weekend has been advertised to the Oswestry School cadets as a ‘Winter Skills’ weekend since September. The reality is that we never know what the conditions are likely to be in Snowdonia from one week to the next, never mind four or five months in advance. By Wednesday of this week, I was consigned [...]

Each week during term time, I help deliver training to the Army section of the Ellesmere College CCF (Combined Cadet Force). My specific role is in the training of the Advanced Infantry for Year 11 cadets, that have already been in the CCF for 2 years. Each term we get to do an exercise on [...]

Each year, the army cadets of Ellesmere College CCF get the opportunity to spend the first week of their Summer holiday at an Army Training Camp. For many, this is their first real experience of regular soldiers at the Army’s way of doing things, and can take a bit of getting used to. This year [...]

As the academic year starts to draw to a close, Ellesmere College put classroom lessons on hold for three days to allow the pupils to take part in ‘Expeditions’. These take a wide range of formats for pupils with different interests. Some use the time to do a Duke of Edinburgh expedition while others go [...]

Every 2 years, all CCFs (Combined Cadet Forces) are inspected by a high ranking, serving member of Her Majesties Armed Forces. Two years ago the Army section invited Lt Col. Chambers of the Rifles to conduct the inspection, which went very well and the contingent was rewarded with a glowing report. This time, the Navy [...]

Why does it seem that whenever I run a multi day rock climbing course, the weather plays havoc with the week’s program?! However, at the end of the day there aren’t many people that get to enjoy working outdoors in such stunning places. I’ve spent this week working for CCAT (Cadet Centre for Adventurous Training) [...]

I work regularly with Ellesmere College CCF, predominantly with the ‘Advanced Infantry’ which is made up of Year 11 cadets who have already had several years of cadet experience. Once a term, Ellesmere College puts timetabled lessons to one side to enable all it’s pupils to experience something different. This term, three days were put [...]

I’ve been working with Oswestry School for a couple of years now, but had little to do with the military training of the CCF (Combined Cadet Force). This has been due to my regular commitment to another CCF unit that happens on the same afternoon of each week in term time. However, yesterday afternoon I [...]

I’ve been very privileged to spend the last week working with a group of 6 Canadian Cadets on a rock climbing course in North Wales. They are part of a larger group of cadets that have been selected to come over to the UK for several weeks as part of an exchange. This week, they [...]