A THOUSAND THANKS TO TETBURY ARMY CADETS

15 December 2019

Sir Francis Richards, president of the Gloucestershire branch of SSAFA, the country’s longest established forces’ charity, recently visited one of the weekly meetings of Tetbury Army Cadets to pass on his personal thanks for their valuable fund-raising initiatives.

Early in the year they decided to nominate SSAFA as their chosen charity. Beginning in the spring they collected donations from spectators visiting the town for the annual Gumstool races, when competitors have to run up and down a steep hill carrying heavy sacks of wool.

Following that, eight of the cadets took part in a 61-mile sponsored walk overnight from their county headquarters in Gloucester to the seafront at Weston Super Mare. The team trecked for 18 hours on one of the hottest days of the year, and raised more than £1,000 in sponsorship.

Sir Francis presented cadet Jake Walker, who came up with the idea for the walk, with a signed certificate of thanks saying: “The effort you all made will help us sustain the assistance we give to veterans and their families living in the county.

“I commend you all for an outstanding example of good citizenship, comradeship and for the effort you made planning and then carrying out the walk.”