RE-ENROLLING AND THE END OF THE BLOG

Re-Enrolling or Leaving?

It has been a difficult time for all of us since March, and many cadets could be forgiven for thinking of CCF as just some distant memory with no more resonance in the present.  But that would be too negative.  CCF isn't quite back yet, but a lot of planning is going in to readying the organisation to live again and provide its unparalleled training and activities.

We cannot yet give a start date for our renewed training.  Whilst the army is allowing face to face training to go ahead from October 1st., we also need clearance from our two schools for such training to commence.  On the camps front, no overnight camps will be considered until January 1st., and of course even that date is dependent on the public health perspective in the country as a whole.  Nevertheless, there is the prospect of day training in addition to our after school training, if everything can be readied and agreed.  So don't give up on it yet.  We are keen to get going again, and we know many cadets are keen to get training again.

There are some things that need doing however.  First and most important, we would ask all cadets in Year 10 and above to go on to the new CCF website (www.suttongrammarccf.com), click on the "Current Cadets" heading, and then either re-enroll with us or - if you are sadly minded to do this - fill in the Leaving Form.  The deadline to complete one of these is Friday September 25th.

Should you leave or stay?

We would urge you to think carefully about this.  Whilst we cannot be certain when we will re-start our training, we are certain that we will do so during this academic year.  It would be great to have all of our existing cadets carry on with us.  We are well aware that Year 10s and 11s in particular have only really had a partial experience up to now and haven't even managed to attend one of the summer camps.  If you still want to enjoy the opportunities offered by the organisation you joined all that time ago, come with us now as we rebuild the experience.  You are in many ways the new pioneers of the CCF.  If this is you, then head over to "Re-enroll" and get back on our books.  We look forward to working with you again.

However, we are equally aware that other things press in on people's time, and for some of you the CCF may simply not be the experience you were hoping for.  With sadness in our hearts but a recognition that times and people change, we would advise you to head on over to the "Leaving Form", enter your details with a heavy heart, and get out that old CCF uniform, ready to return it to Mr. Marshall or Ms. Geraghty.

And what about the blog?

It's been a great way to communicate, even if too many of you simply didn't read it enough!  But technology moves on, and we now have our shiny new website, with its own blog and a whole host of other add-ons.  This is the way forward.  This is our news, communications, gallery posts, camp application and network hub.  Give it a look.  Then keep checking it.  Things can only get better.  So they say.

Farewell, then, from an ageing blog and a similarly ageing blog-master!

GM

Refunds - CORRECTION

The email address to send refund requests to was wrongly identified below.

The correct email address is sgsccf@hotmail.co.uk  (NOT .com as stated below).

Please identify the name of the account holder when requesting the refund, as well as the cadet for whom it is being requested.

Thanks.

Main Camp Refunds

As you know, the Main Camp was sadly a casualty of the government's lockdown policy.

We are now in a position to issue the refunds for this camp.  Most cadets paid 160 pounds, and these can be claimed back by emailing sgsccf@hotmail.com, and placing "Main Camp Refund" in the subject line.  In the body of the email please state the cadet's name, and the bank details (Account number and sort code) to which the refund should be paid.

(As a reminder, our record of payments made is here. If you have any queries, or think that we have not recorded your payment, please do get in touch).

We will deal with these as fast as possible, but there is inevitably a time issue in a volunteer organisation, so do please bear with us if the refund doesn't land in your account for a few days.

The Aviemore Camp for the L6th has also had to be cancelled, again as a result of government restrictions staying in place.  We will organise refunds for this once we have dealt with the Main Camp.  I apologise for the delay.

Obviously we all hope that camps will resume in the autumn term, and should they do so we will be looking to replace the L6th (by then U6th) and Year 10 (by then Y11) weekends if we can, as well as run our normal camp programme as far as we are able.    We will keep checking MOD and government advice.

The Three Peaks Challenge

CADETS OF THE SGS CCF

We recognise that during this lockdown period, the thing you have missed most is CCF. Here is your opportunity to get involved once again, get fitter, and, most importantly, do a good thing for a charity: the SSAFA. Some words on this from Wing Commander Hobbs can be found on the next post, but to summarise, the SSAFA provides lifelong support to serving men, women and veterans from the British Armed Forces. This challenge goes out to all cadets and OSCA members looking to do some good for the military.

THE CHALLENGE

There is a challenge in the Dales known as the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The challenge was created in 1887 by J R Wynne-Edwards and D R Smith when in just under ten hours they returned to the pretty Dales village in Horton – in – Ribblesdale having summitted the peaks of Pen Y Ghent (694m); Ingleborough (723m) and Whernside (736m) in a single walk. This sparked huge interest and the trail now sees over 250,000 visitors explore the Three Peaks each year. The route is some 39.2km and involves 1585m of ascent with the target time for completion being under twelve hours.

Together in sections, you will have four weeks to traverse the distance of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks. That means each cadet must run or walk and average of 39.2km (a ten-cadet section would, then, have to together travel 392km). The winning section will be that which reaches this distance with an elevation closest to 1585m (once again as an average per cadet) and each winning cadet will be rewarded with a limited edition, never-before seen, SGS CCF polo shirt. Teamwork and strategy will be of the upmost importance, as well as bold sacrifices from the section members willing to run those extra kilometres to ease the pressure off their peers. Your mission will consist of 3 phases.

PHASE 1: RECRUITMENT AND STRATEGISING

May 23 - June 12

In this phase, you will have 2 weeks to donate a minimum of 5 pounds to the SSAFA via the just giving link provided. This will constitute your application, but MAKE SURE to leave your full name, and, in the “leave a message” section, put the year group you are currently in. Don’t tick the box to keep ur donation anonymous unless you simply want to donate without participating. 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-hobbs12

Make sure as many of your fellow cadets as possible are aware of the challenge as we will be relying on you, too, to spread the word. 

After 2 weeks, we will assemble a nominal roll, divide you into sections and announce these to you. You should then make any form of group chat you can, as you will be given a further week to strategise as a team. Remember, you are trying to maximise your elevation per km. Think about the best locations to achieve this, how far each section member is willing and able to run, which days will provide the best conditions etc. since after that week, phase two will commence.

PHASE 2: EXECUTION

June 13 - July 10

For this phase, you will need to have the app ‘Strava’ downloaded. There is no need for the premium version, the basic one will be just fine. You can use this app to track your distance whenever you’re out for a walk or a run, and send the screenshots to your section commander, who will DM them to the SGS CCF Instagram - @sgs_ccf . This account will be providing daily updates on each section’s progress, plotting the distances on a map of the three peaks themselves, as well as documenting any extraordinary individual successes that day. This phase will last four weeks. Any cheeky attempts to drive or cycle will be met with severe distance penalties, as well as a lot of disappointment from all the 100ths.

PHASE 3: RESULTS AND DEBRIEF

July 11

Whilst there are of course no losers in the SGS CCF, in this challenge there can be but one winning section - the one which reaches the target distance with an elevation closest to 1585m per cadet. The section rankings will be announced, and the prizes for the winning section will be hand-delivered by our own officer team after they thoroughly sanitise their hands.

So, let’s see those donations coming in, and we wish you luck in your challenge.

Corporal Major Chris Vincent

Warrant Officer Jude Martin

VE Day

It will not have escaped your notice that tomorrow is the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

I have put some links below that you may wish to check out in order to inform yourselves a little more about VE Day itself.  We would have recognised this important event in some way as a contingent were we still at school.  Even so, it is possible to try and do a form of collective commemoration.

The Nation's 'Toast to the Heroes of WW2' is scheduled for 3pm tomorrow, with people across the country standing up and raising a glass of a drink of their choice while saying the following toast: "To those who gave so much, we thank you."  If you are minded to do so, you could make this toast yourselves, in uniform (with a non-alcoholic drink for photographic purposes please!) and post a photo on instagram, tagging the CCF instagram account - @sgs_ccf - and #SGSVEDaysalute.  It would be great to see a number of cadets offer this tribute, individually and then, thanks to social connectivity, together.

If you do not have an instagram, send a pic to one of the senior cadets for them to post up for you

"To those who gave so much, we thank you"

Sqn Ldr Marshall

VE Day Links:

Short account of that happened and what it means - https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/what-happened-europe-after-war-ww2-ve-day-germany/

Imperial War Museum's 1 1/2 minute showreel of VE Day -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-CdpqhxDR8

The BBCs individual stories from VE Day, for a more personal engagement -https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02q3cwy

Pennines Refunds and Main Camp News

1.  We can now arrange the refunds for the cancelled Pennines trip.  A copy of the nominal roll can be found here, and this indicates whether we received your payments or not.  If there is a 'yes' by your name, then please email the main CCF address - sgsccf@hotmail.co.uk - giving the bank details to which you would like your refund paid.  Put "Pennines Refund" in the email subject line and please make clear on whose behalf the refund is being requested (i.e. the cadet name).  If you think the record as stated is wrong, please email Mr. Marshall at gmarshall@suttonmail.org and he will follow up any queries about unrecorded payments.

2.  I am afraid that we have received confirmation from Swynnerton that they need to remove us from the booking we had for main camp at the end of June.  This obviously means that the camp is cancelled in its original form.  However, although the signs are not particularly good at the moment, we are keeping an open mind about whether or not the camp could run later in the summer holiday.  We await further guidance on training from the army, which will follow any overall guidance from the government.  While coming out of lockdown now looks as if it will be a slow process for schools, it is not immediately clear that outdoor activities will follow the same trajectory and things do change quickly.  We would want to be in a position to run a main camp if it looked at all possible.  We will keep everyone posted here.

L6 CCF Applications

At some point, normal service will need to be resumed, and in the CCF we will need to choose a new leadership team to start in September.  To that end, can I ask L6 cadets who are interested in applying for specific positions to now do so, emailing their applications to gmarshall@suttonmail.org.

You should apply with a letter of no more than one side of A4.  Please state clearly the role or roles you are applying for, why you would like it, and what you will bring to it.

Such applications should be made by the end of April please.

Thanks,

Sqn Ldr Marshall

Aviemore Details Still Needed from....

Arnett, Toby

Claydon, Charlotte

Groves, Sam

McEvilly, Joseph

Perkins, Tom

Shirwani, Ilyas

Titus-Glover, Stefan

Pennines Cancelled

I am sorry to announce that the Pennines trip has now been cancelled.  CCF Regional Command has directed that all training until April 31st be cancelled.

We will refund cadets who have paid for both the RAF weekend and the Pennines.  We will be drawing up cheques for this refund and will issue them after the Easter break. 

Thanks for your understanding.  Planning is still going ahead for the Summer Camp, and of course we will keep cadets updated about that and all our events on this blog as usual.

Aviemore - Details still needed

Names and dates of birth are still required from a number of Aviemore attendees. 

Please check the list here, and send me the required details if your name is highlighted in red.

Thanks,

GM

RAF Weekend cancelled; Pennines decision soon

The RAF Weekend to Jersey Camp on the Isle of Wight, due to take place between 27th and 29th March, has now had to be cancelled as part of our response to the ongoing coronavirus emergency.

I apologise to all concerned.

On the Pennines, it now seems highly likely that this too will need to be cancelled in the light of the government's up-rating of restrictive measures.  We will put any final decision on this blog as soon as possible.

Sqn Ldr Marshall

Parade Cancelled Tomorrow

There will be no parade tomorrow afternoon. 

We will update CCF developments on this blog as usual, especially with regard to forthcoming trips and further parades.

Could L6th formers going to Aviemore still either bring in the details requested below, or email them to me.

Sqn Ldr Marshall

L6th Aviemore Trip

In order to book flights for the proposed Aviemore trip at the end of August, all other things being equal, I would like the L6th attendees on that trip to please remember the following details for tomorrow:

Name as on passport (Full Name)
Date of Birth

I will collect these details from you at the end of the parade.

GM

Notice about RAF Weekend and Pennines

Forthcoming CCF trips to the Isle of Wight and Pennines are currently still planned to go ahead.

As UK-based, low risk trips for small, self-contained numbers largely operating in the outdoors, there is at present no advice to discontinue them.

Coronavirus related actions are fast moving and we keep abreast of these daily.  Cadets and parents therefore need to be prepared for any late cancellations should circumstances change.  We will communicate any decisions on this blog.

Parade 10th

Parade continues tomorrow. All kit should be exemplary both during CCF and whilst wearing it around school.

A reminder that all payment and conformation of places on camps should be in ASAP.

Cpl Maj Vincent