Exercise CCF Recharge

After several months of being unable to hold our weekly Combined Cadet Force (CCF) training sessions, it was difficult to tell who was more excited about the return of CCF, the staff or the students!

With good weather on our side, lots of fun was had by all. In their Year group bubbles, the Cadets completed five teamwork challenges, testing their memory, spatial awareness, accuracy and communication skills:

• Operation Eye in the Sky – Teams were given the opportunity to learn how to fly a drone over the rugby pitches, with a final test seeing them attempt to land the craft accurately on the pitch side-line.
• Skill at Arms – A race against the clock, where each member of the team fitted their rifle sling and loaded and un-loaded their magazine with drill rounds.
• Command Task (Stepping Stones) – Each team was presented with a 10 x 10 grid and asked to cross from one side to the other. Without talking, they had to find the correct path over the grid, avoiding the unmarked ‘trap’ squares.  
• The Game (as it’s known in CCF) – The Cadets had to tie a Highwayman’s Hitch, a very useful and simple knot, allowing you to attach a line to a fixed point, that can be undone with a simple pull on the quick release. Sounds simple? It is, but not when you make it a race against other teams, the fastest hands win the day. This exercise in particular was hugely competitive and great fun.   
• Operation Rescue – What do you get if you mix a stretcher race and an obstacle course? Answer: tired Cadets! Sometimes you must just go for it, with speed, aggression and a lot of lifting. Moving a weighted stretcher over and under multiple 3ft fences, through a 30ft tunnel (containing a few surprises), and a 50-metre dash to the end, was a test for all the Cadets. Leadership, teamwork and determination were just some of the skills that were well and truly tested under physical pressure. 

The activities were a great way to welcome the Cadets back to training, and everyone is really looking forward to getting back into the routine of the weekly Parade.