Ministry of Defence sets date for brand new National Cadets Week to raise awareness of 'amazing' opportunities for young Britons

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) will launch a brand new initiative, National Cadets Week between the 5th - 11th of October.

The initiative will celebrate the UK’s cadet community, one that tens of thousands of young people and adult volunteers take part in.

The October week will also launch a National Cadets Strategy, which will set out the Government's long-term vision for the cadet forces, part of the Strategic Defence Review.

In response, Veterans Minister, Louise Sandher-Jones, told GB News: “I am excited that we are going to have our first ever national cadets' week, this is about raising awareness about the amazing things out there for our young people, but I want to also highlight the work our adult volunteers do who are amazing people who have come forward.”

“The Cadets are an amazing organisation up and down this country, they provide a space for young people to come together and pick up experience, skills and values that they won't learn anywhere else, it means they can have fun and it sets them up amazingly for later in life.”

Ms Sandher-Jones added: “I appreciate from my time in the military, they value that underpin the cadets are hugely important I have seen that today, it’s about teamwork, working together, but it’s also about pushing and challenging yourself.”

More than 27,000 adult volunteers run the cadet detachments which usually meet one or two evenings a week for two hours.

Detachments usually meet for one or two evenings a week for around two hours, alongside weekend and summer camps.

Captain William McLellan explained the importance of teaching cadets about the values and standards associated with the military, while helping prepare them for future opportunities and responsibilities.

Mr McLellan told GB News: “We start with basic drills; we explain the standards and values of the military; they also do weapons training and first aid.” “It gives them good life skills for the future, helping with their discipline and timekeeping.”

The commander added: “It’s good to develop them into good young people.”

While one Chief Petty Officer, Will, told the People’s Channel "The skills that I have learned such as leadership skills, discipline, and leading a group of Cadets confidently have shown me that I can be a great leader.

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The cadet movement currently supports a wide range of opportunities through the MOD-sponsored forces, including the Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps, Volunteer Cadet Corps and Combined Cadet Force.

Young people can take part in adventurous training, fieldcraft, flying, sailing and even gain Civil Aviation Authority-endorsed drone qualifications, while also working towards nationally recognised awards such as BTECs, first aid certificates and The Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The Government says the week-long initiative forms part of its wider “whole-of-society” approach to defence, designed to strengthen links between local communities and the Armed Forces.

Under the MOD’s ‘30 by 30’ campaign, launched in 2025, ministers are aiming to increase cadet numbers by 30 per cent before the end of the decade — creating more than 40,000 additional cadet places across the UK.

A new Cadets Action Plan is also expected to be unveiled during National Cadets Week, outlining plans to modernise the cadet experience, expand access for young people from all backgrounds and improve support for adult volunteers.

To find more information about the Army Cadets https://armycadets.com/join-now/