CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY RESERVE FORCES AND CADETS ASSOCIATION for Northern Ireland ANNUAL REPORT 2018 | 2019 CONTENTS RFCA NI OVERVIEW RFCA NI OVERVIEW 03 RFCA NI, like its twelve sister organisations across the UK, is a civilian, CHAIRMAN’S INTRODUCTION 04 autonomous, non-departmental government body (underpinned by an CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S SUMMARY 06 Act of Parliament) with a pre-scripted structure and membership that RESERVES 08 reaches across society throughout Northern Ireland. It has two formal EMPLOYERS 10 functions, namely: CADETS 11 SCHOOL CADET EXPANSION PROGRAMME 13 Non-Executive: The Association acts as a champion and conscience for PATHWAY ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES 13 Armed Forces reserves (circa 2,000) and cadets and their adult volunteers CIVIL ENGAGEMENT 14 (circa 5,000), as well as their stakeholders – employers, local authorities, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS 16 parents, schools etc. – across the Province. It does so through its ESTATES 17 voluntary members and Board, led by its Chairman, that report through a FINANCE 18 national board to the Defence Council and Parliament. UNIT SUMMARIES 19 Executive: Under the direction and responsibility of the Chief Executive, HMS Hibernia 20 the Association is accountable for: Royal Marines Reserves Belfast Detachment 23 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment (2 R Irish) 24 • Delivering reserve and cadet infrastructure. The Band Of The Royal Irish Regiment 26 • Administering and providing support – to differing degrees – to all 152 (North Irish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 28 types of cadet organisations. 204 (NI) Field Hospital 30 • Providing life support to reserves, including finance, recruiting, PR and 253 (North Irish) Medical Regiment 32 community relations. 591 (AA) Field Squadron, 71 Engineer Regiment 35 • Acting as the lead interface between employers and reservists. 40 (North Irish Horse) Signal Squadron, 32 Signal Regiment 38 • Developing, nurturing, sustaining and maintaining links across the 206 (Ulster) Battery, 105 Regiment Royal Artillery 40 community. Army Training Unit (Northern Ireland) 42 • Acting as an advisory body to the Ministry of Defence on regional 62 Military Intelligence Company, 6 MI Battalion 44 matters. 157 Divisional Support Company, 102 Battalion Reme 45 B (North Irish Horse) Squadron, The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry 47 Particular to Northern Ireland, the Association uses its networks, structure Queen’s University Officer Training Corps 48 and resources to engage in a wide-ranging youth outreach programme 502 (Ulster) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAUXAF) 51 “Pathways” and is working hard to develop a robust structure that facilitates better coordination and delivery of support to our veterans. CADET SUMMARIES 54 Northern Ireland District Sea Cadets 55 1st (Northern Ireland) Battalion Army Cadet Force 56 2nd (Northern Ireland) Battalion Army Cadet Force 59 Northern Ireland Wing Air Cadets 62 COMBINED CADET FORCES 66 Bangor Grammar School Combined Cadet Force 66 Campbell College Combined Cadet Force 67 Foyle College Combined Cadet Force 69 Lisnagarvey High School Combined Cadet Force 70 Royal Belfast Academical Institution Combined Cadet Force 71 Royal School Armagh Combined Cadet Force 72 2 RCFA Annual Report 2018/19 RCFA Annual Report 2018/19 3 CHAIRMAN The reserve units in Northern Ireland thrive. So has increased. A Veteran’s Champion has been much so that the Ministry of Defence authorised a established in each local authority area. It is hoped This comprehensive report describes the 10% increase in establishment during this past year. that Veterans’ Champions will enjoy a longevity of achievements and challenges of the past year and However, the limitations in the estate which were tenure although local Council elections are due in looks forward to those of the next year. Results referred to in the last annual report still have to be May 2019. which were only achieved and challenges which overcome. While most of the units are well recruited, were only overcome because of the dedication, there must be no complacency. The frequent Thank you to all who have contributed to this report. commitment and enthusiasm of all involved with criticism of the recruiting system during the last five It provides an effective account of the success of the Reserve Forces and Cadets in Northern Ireland. years may have resulted in effective change during Association during 2018/19. Thank you all for that dedication, commitment, 2018. The Board is monitoring this situation critically enthusiasm and sheer hard work. and hopes to see an improvement in 2019/20. During the next year I hope to have the opportunity to visit units and attachments and hear directly As Chair of the Board of RFCA NI, I welcome the Engagement with the civil community continues to of success achieved, challenges overcome and restructuring introduced in March 2018. Responsible be a huge task. One of the great strengths of RFCA challenges outstanding during 2019. for the strategic direction of the Association, the NI in discharging this responsibility is that many restructured Board is better able to carry out people involved with the engagement process those responsibilities. Thank you to the Chairs and have known each other for several years. However, G C Chesney Members of the various committees and all Board there continue to be many challenges. The public’s Chairman members. experience of the Armed Forces is much reduced compared to earlier times. Cross-community issues The cadet organisations as a whole continue to be a remain, but perhaps a greater understanding has resounding success - one can only agree on reading emerged during the First World War Centenary the reports by the NI District Sea Cadets, the two events of the last four years. Army Cadet Force Battalions, the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) Contingents. It is encouraging that events during the year led to I make particular mention of the increase in the direct contact between the general public and the number of CCF contingents as an illustration of that Armed Forces. Royal Salutes took place outside the continuing success. confines of Hillsborough Castle. On Armed Forces Day, units marched through Coleraine. The annual air shows at Portrush and Newcastle continue to be popular and well attended. Positive stories in the local press raise public awareness. Such exposure is but a small part of the engagement process. There must be no relaxation of the huge effort which takes place away from public exposure to deliver employer support at the local level. It is very encouraging, therefore, to observe the continued increase in both numbers of supportive employers and the ongoing growth in meaningful contact with other institutions/organisations, particularly within the Higher Education sector. Veteran support is proving to be such a success that RFCA NI requires extra resources to cope! Voluntary groups throughout the Province have been identified and supported. Awareness of financial resources available from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund 4 RCFA Annual Report 2018/19 RCFA Annual Report 2018/19 5 ultimately about the delivery of the cadet indirect support are faced with ever-widening experience, led by the Army with whom we have expectations (and, indeed, measurements of a tight almost symbiotic partnership. effectiveness) on the delivery of a workable veterans’ strategy for NI, the resolution of individual cases of • Co-operation across the cadet movements hardship and the growth in capacity of organisations continues to improve, as manifested by a greater across NI to support veterans through access to the sharing of resources and best practice. This level of Covenant Fund. All of this is in spite of the fact that co-operation – overseen by the Joint Cadet our primary role remains one of facilitation and Committee - is not quite replicated elsewhere, but reporting as opposed to the delivery functions of media packages in order to underpin recruiting. CHIEF EXECUTIVE then NI is such a small, often challenging space in statutory bodies and service charities whose roles we These initiatives are built on the experience and which to develop cadet activities that we would strive not to compromise. It is a task that is frustrating Over the last two reports, I have laboured the connections developed within a cadet context but be remiss in not co-operating. The NI District Sea but rewarding in equal measure. We do struggle which have had clear, measurable results. importance of our on-going efforts to add value. As I Cadets are doing particularly well at present, within the resources allocated but at least have had hope is clear from my synopsis of our outputs, below, particularly given the Sea Cadets’ operating model ministerial recognition of our needs. The Board, Membership and Wider Networks we not only continue to do so but to do so within a that is not best suited to the NI environment. The widening area of both responsibilities and activities. I Communications activities are inextricably linked to Air Training Corps (ATC) continues to offer a The Pathway Programme the development and maintenance of our wider am proud that we have been able to achieve this unique experience, albeit one that has not been The Pathway programme – or Pathway Adventure with little increase in resources. Indeed, most of the networks. We have a clear remit from the MOD to able to offer the same flying activities as hitherto. Activities as it is more widely known – continues to deliver engagement for Defence as a whole with the latter has been self-generated. Alongside comparable That is in the process of change with greater expand and has been (acknowledging that this is a organisations, we are lean in the extreme. We have expectation that we do so on the basis of such access to flying and we are committed, as a dangerous phrase to use) an unqualified success. networks. Yet however extensive and meaningful only been able to achieve this because of the priority, to help the ATC grow to a level Through its delivery of a wide range of bespoke commitment and professionalism of our staff and I they are, it is the on-going, longer-term commitment commensurate with the other cadet organisations.