News story

Cadet volunteers to receive Queen's Award

An Army Cadet Force has been recognised for the difference they make to young people's lives with the UK's highest award for volunteers.

• From: Ministry of Defence
• Published: 18 July 2013

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Cadet Lance Corporal Aleksandra Czartolomna leads a patrol

Staffordshire & West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force has been honoured as a recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS) for 2013.

The QAVS is given for outstanding achievement by groups of volunteers who regularly devote their time to helping others in the community, improving their quality of life and creating development opportunities.

This unique national honour was created by Her Majesty to mark the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and to recognise the outstanding contributions made to local communities by groups of volunteers; it has an equivalent status for voluntary groups to the MBE for individuals.

Staff Sergeant Instructor Trisha Helsby shows some of the cadets how to handle a No 8 Rifle [Picture: Richard Watt, Crown copyright]

Groups must be nominated by beneficiaries of their work, members of the public, representatives of public bodies, or other voluntary groups. Nominations are assessed by a regional committee before being passed to a national committee for final selection and recommendation to the Queen.

It is the first ever award of this level for an entire Cadet Force, and the county is now permitted to use the QAVS insignia for the life of its existence.

Staffordshire & West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force, which covers an area from North Staffordshire to Birmingham, has been recognised for its training, which helps to develop cadets’ leadership and citizenship skills and aids them in becoming active members of their community.

Cadet Molly Powell from the Sedgley Detachment [Picture: Richard Watt, Crown copyright]

It will receive a certificate signed by the Queen and an exclusive commemorative crystal; the award will be formally presented to the county on behalf of the adult volunteers by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant during their annual camp at Otterburn Training Area in Northumberland between 10 and 17 August.

Cadet Force Commandant, Colonel Kim Knutton, said:

I am proud that the organisation has been honoured in this way. It is a fitting recognition of the efforts and enthusiasm shown by our adult volunteers.

The cadets line up to hydrate from water bottles on one of the hottest days of the year [Picture: Richard Watt, Crown copyright]

Published 18 July 2013