This afternoon I had the immense pleasure of meeting some of Llanwern High School’s CCF participants.

As one of just four schools in the whole of Wales that participates in the Cadets programme, Llanwern High currently counts more than fifty students amongst it’s Cadet numbers, with girls outnumbering boys.

As part of the Cadets’ training, the young people learn a whole host of skills, many of which are transferable into the world of work, such as coaching qualifications and First Aid Training, as well as the well-respected Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Having added 23 new recruits to the group in the last few weeks, I met with Year 11 pupils Hannah Lavery and Owain Porter, alongside Hayley Gabicca from Year 13 – the soon-to-be appointed Lord Lieutenant for Gwent Cadet – a huge honour for both Hayley and the school.

I was excited to hear about all of the activities the young people take part in, including shooting, adventure training and field work, and loved hearing about the transformative power of being a Cadet; how it builds confidence, instils values and responsibility and encourages young people from right across the school years to work together and support one another. It was wonderful to hear how well they’d managed to keep going through the Covid lockdowns and how the numbers of cadets had swelled in recent weeks.

With the support of Physics teacher Mr. Allen and Sgt. Major Andrew Candler, the Llanwern High CCF is a real credit to the school and to Newport East, and I look forward to hearing more about their achievements.

Congratulations also to Hayley – I look forward to seeing you at the Lord Lieutenant’s events over the next year.