From climbing kit to a Yorkshire Dales expedition, small Alpkit Foundation grants help Air and Sea Cadet units fund the adventurous training that builds confidence and leadership.
Air and Sea Cadet units run on volunteer leaders and modest subs, topped up by whatever fundraising the cadets and staff can manage themselves. There's rarely much left over for climbing kit, camping gear, or the cost of getting a whole unit away for a weekend. Small Foundation grants have gone towards exactly that: not big adventures, but the kit and training that make ordinary cadet nights turn into something bigger.
Learning to lead on a rock face
593 (Swanley) Squadron Air Cadets wanted to introduce their 25 cadets, aged 12 to 20, to climbing. Paul, who ran the project, explains why: "This project is being conducted in order to improve the cadets' health and fitness as well as giving them exposure to a challenging outdoor sport, developing their decision making in a high pressured environment and training them to remain calm." A Foundation grant covered the safety equipment needed to make it happen, along with staff development courses towards personal climbing awards.
Orpington Air Cadets faced the same problem from a different angle: a donation of climbing kit meant leaders no longer had to weigh up cost every time they wanted to run an activity. Russell, from the squadron, put the underlying issue plainly: "Our location means that many cadets struggle to pay much more than a modest contribution to activities, which normally covers transport costs. As such, there is little money available to fund the purchase of equipment."
A weekend the whole unit looks forward to
Poole Sea Cadets is a 60-strong unit, and each year they try to get as many cadets as possible away for a weekend of adventurous training in Dorset. A £200 grant helped 41 cadets take part in kayaking, rock climbing, hill walking and bushcraft, building their own base camp from a site with sparse facilities. Commanding Officer Reece explains why it matters: "The unit doesn't get to do many courses as a whole collective as spaces are often too limited. This is one of the few opportunities we have to group together as one big team and enjoy an experience together." One cadet's verdict on the climbing: "a fantastic opportunity."
Wild camping and self-reliance
Yeadon Air Cadets had four newly trained instructors and cadets keen to learn wild camping and survival skills, but little of the basic equipment to do it. Gareth, who leads the squadron, sums up the goal: "We want to teach young people to be responsible, confident, self sufficient and gain a love for the outdoors, without lots of tech and excessive equipment. Most of all, we want them to go out and do it themselves as they grow older." A grant went towards sleeping mats, sleeping bags, bivvy bags and shelter, exactly the kind of unglamorous kit that makes a first night under canvas possible.
Into the Dales for the Duke of Edinburgh
366 (King Ecgbert) Squadron took 14 cadets on a three-day Yorkshire Dales expedition for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award, from an area in the top 10% of deprived neighbourhoods in the country. Without the equipment a Foundation grant helped fund, many of those cadets simply wouldn't have gone. Simon Tredinnick reports the effect: "The award has helped to foster the spirit of adventure, teamwork and independence. Of the 14 cadets who went on the expeditions, 5 are looking to take part in their gold award." Some cadets who arrived short on confidence are now taking the lead, and the kit is set to support 50 cadets across more than 100 days of camping the following year.
None of this is about a single big trip. It's about the kit that turns a cadet night into a climb, a camp, or an expedition, and the young people who step up once they've had the chance. Find out how to apply.