Over the last week, 78 cadets and 15 support staff have been in Gibraltar conducting a six day training camp called EX Venturer Royal.  

A statement from British Forces Gibraltar follows below:

The cadets from Reading School Combined Cadet Force (CCF) take part in annual residential  camps every year. These provide excellent training and personal development opportunities  for the unit’s cadets, cadet NCO leaders and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and provide an  unrivalled range of interesting and stimulating training. This year’s camp in Gibraltar is their  first overseas camp for the unit for many years. 

During the packed six-day training camp, the cadets took part in multiple activities including  fieldcraft exercises, adventure training including paddle-boarding, coastal sailing, powerboat rides and spent some time on the range at Buffadero Training Centre. 

The team were due to conduct this year’s training camp in Dorset, but some last minute  changes meant they swapped the coastal county on the South of England to come to sunny  Gibraltar.  

Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) John Flexman, Combined Cadet Force Contingent Commander  said: “The unparalleled resources and the warm welcome we have received since arriving in  Gibraltar has made this trip well worthwhile for both cadets and staff.  

We are conscious that we are out here using other people’s resources to ensure that our  training camp runs smoothly and due to the great hospitality we have received, we will be  wholeheartedly recommending Gibraltar to any other cadet unit wishing to conduct their  annual camps here.”  

The CCF unit recruits Cadets from Reading grammar school and the nearby girl’s grammar at  Kendrick School. Reading School will celebrate its 900th anniversary next year, making it one  of the oldest schools in the UK.  

The cadet force at Reading School has been running since 1900 and will be celebrating its 125th anniversary next year.  

Lt Col Flexman said: “The skills, capabilities, and qualities in young people that we are  developing are as per the rest of UK Cadets and it places an emphasis on the values and  standards from the UK Armed Forces. This provides highly transferable skills and life changing  development opportunities for our Cadets. 

We have some incredibly bright individuals from both Reading and Kendrick School that form  the CCF, and we have several cadets from each school who often make it into Oxbridge. By  way of example a number of our 2023 Year 13 Cadets achieved 4 x A* A Level grades. 

Our Cadets benefit from the CCF because they get rounded as individuals, they get broader  team skills, leadership development and character development which you just cannot get  anywhere else outside of the cadet forces.  

Now we have visited Gibraltar once, we would love to come back.”