Young cadets from across Wales of the Army Cadet Force, Combined Cadet Force and Air Training Corps have assembled at Cwrt y Gollen, Crickhowell, to demonstrate practical first aid skills in the 160 (Wales) Brigade Cadet Forces First Aid competition.

Army Cadets and Air Cadets tackled a range of demanding and realistic scenarios, both as individuals and as teams, including broken legs, chest injuries, snake bite, asthma, anaphylactic shock and hypoglycaemia.

Wales’ most ambitious first aid competition for young people saw some 17 teams of cadets take part in four separate competitions. Five scenarios tested the cadets with realistic emergencies aided by dramatic casualty make-up. To keep the scenarios realistic, the competitions further developed the concept of a ‘handover’ marked by an Emergency Medical Technician who is a full-time operational member of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust and a volunteer with St. John Cymru-Wales. 

Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF emerged as the ACF champions, with their team from E. Squadron, Narberth detachment, winning the cadet team competition and their other team from B. Coy, Morfa detachment, claiming the second position.

Dyfed and Glamoragan also won the ACF Young Adult competition, as well as achieving the highest team score throughout the competition and Cadet SSgt Rhys Davies achieving the joint highest individual score throughout the whole competition.

Trophies and medals were presented by Col. (Retd) John Brunt, of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales. He spoke how impressed he was of the standard of first aid that had been displayed throughout the competition.

Captain Eliot Daley, county first aid training officer Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF, said: “This is not just another competition - training in practical scenarios is part of the system of effective first aid training and essential in giving cadet’s skills and confidence in handling real life trauma, as well as developing their communication skills, team work and leadership skills.”

Captain Daley added that Dyfed and Glamorgan ACF have had over 10 cadets and adult volunteers over the last couple of years recognised by various awarding bodies for bravery and stepping forward and tackling real life emergencies. These include dealing with a lighting strike, CPR, choking casualty and a serious road traffic collision to name a few.

The Dyfed and Glamorgan winning teams from Narberth detachment, where all the cadets attend Dyffryn Taf School, comprised of Cdt Sgt Jamie Dorrell, Cdt LCpl Lexie Coney, Cdt Charlotte Ault and Cdt Asya Yildiz, with the young adult team consisting of adult instructor SI Ben Morris and Cdt SSgt Rhys Davies, who will now go forward to represent the Welsh Brigade in the UK National Cadet Forces first aid competition in York over the weekend of September 24-25, competing against nine other teams, represent their brigades. We wish them all the best.

Like the idea of inspiring and leading young people to achieve things they never thought possible? Looking for something exciting to do in your spare time?

Then why not visit the ACF website at www.armycadets.com and enquire about becoming an Army Cadet Force adult volunteer?