As His Majesty’s personal representative in the county, the Lord-Lieutenant’s visit marked a proud moment for the Academy, highlighting its continued commitment to excellence, leadership and service. The visit began with a meeting involving Captain Ed Clayton, the School’s Contingent Commander; members of the CCF staff; the Hatton Academies Trust, CEO Rob Hardcastle; Co-Principal Nick Salisbury; and the Lord-Lieutenant’s CCF Cadet, Georgia Bignell.
The Lord-Lieutenant was then introduced to the cadet contingent and conducted an inspection, engaging with cadets and asking about their experiences in the CCF. Many cadets expressed their enthusiasm for Fieldcraft and shooting, citing these as the most enjoyable parts of their training.
Following the inspection, the Lord-Lieutenant observed training sessions as cadets continued their development through the CCF syllabus. He praised both the high levels of engagement shown by the students and the practical, hands-on teaching delivered by instructors.
School Staff Instructor Toni Austin commented:
“It has been wonderful having the Lord-Lieutenant attend this afternoon and being able to showcase how fantastic our cadets are. We’ve been fortunate to have a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for the past three years, but this is the first time he has been able to visit in person.”
Contingent Commander Captain Ed Clayton stated:
“It was an absolute honour to welcome His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant to our contingent. For our cadets to be inspected and spoken to individually by the King’s representative was a truly memorable experience, and one that I know will stay with them for a long time. His visit has given our young people a real sense of recognition and pride in what they’re achieving through the CCF, and it’s given our whole contingent a fantastic boost.”
Co-Principal Nick Salisbury added:
“We are incredibly proud of our CCF contingent and the opportunities it provides for our students to grow in leadership, and resilience. The Lord-Lieutenant’s visit was a tremendous honour and recognition of the dedication shown by both our cadets and staff.”
The Academy looks forward to continuing to develop its CCF programme and providing students with experiences that foster commitment, teamwork and a sense of citizenship.