The first CCF field day of the 2015-2016 academic year took place last week, and saw the cadets try their hand at sailing, camouflage and concealment. There are two CCF field days across the year; one in the Autumn term, and one in the Spring term. The Autumn term CCF field day, held earlier this week, happened across two locations. The Army stayed on the College site, whilst the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections headed to Reading Sailing Centre in Sonning.
The Army cadets were split into two groups, and, whilst the senior cadets practised the advanced skills with the Army Cadet training team, the Year 10 recruits were taken through key aspects of the basic syllabus with College staff. The main focus was camouflage and concealment, with the majority of the training sessions based around building skills and knowledge in readiness for an ‘escape and evasion’ exercise at the end of the day; or, hide and seek, in civilian terms! This light-hearted end to the day was a fantastic way to round up a constructive yet enjoyable training session for the Army section of Shiplake CCF.
Meanwhile, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force cadets were making the most of ideal sailing weather at Sonning, enjoying a good breeze and warm sunshine. All the cadets were shown some basic sailing techniques, and then let loose on the water. Some cadets had experience sailing and were able to improve existing skills, whilst some were complete beginners to the sport, and so quite literally thrown in at the deep end! Outdoor pursuits play a key part in the CCF syllabus and there are many opportunities to progress in a wide range of activities. These small taster sessions are designed to encourage the cadets to become involved in outdoor activities in the future.