A HEXHAM Army Cadet has been selected as one out of 14 Cadets to participate in an annual training course.

Lance Corporal Robbie Palmer, 15, lives in Gunnerton and was chosen out of thousands of other applicants to take part in the annual Leadership Adventure Training Course, which this year is an expedition to the Knoydart Peninsula in Scotland.

The course, funded by the Ministry of Defence, will take place from Saturday, May 28 to Saturday, June 4, and will test participants' skills in navigation and wild camping amongst others. 

Robbie joined the Cadets in 2019 and said: "It's great to be chosen to represent the Hexham detachment and the County on the Knoydart Expedition this year. I'm really looking forward to it and it's a huge opportunity."

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Captain Sean Ferguson, an Army Cadet instructor at Hexham Detachment, said the course gets thousands of applicants from across the country, and applicants must meet a high standard.

Richard Palmer, Robbie's dad, said Robbie found out the good news the week beginning April 25. "We are chuffed to bits that Robbie has been selected, with 13 other cadets nationally, for the Knoydart Expedition.

"As a parent I cannot recommend the Hexham Detachment, under the leadership of Capt. Sean Ferguson and Colour Sergeant Sue Hills enough. It gives young people self confidence, independence and self discipline. Because the Cadets are funded by the Ministry of Defence, opportunities like this are open for all to try, whereas funding this sort of experience privately would be beyond many household budgets."

The Knoydart region is a wild and barren area on the west coast of Scotland, which Capt. Ferguson said will help Robbie develop his skills and bring even more success to his cadet division.

He said: "I was over the moon for him, in such a large pool of people he had everything they wanted already. He got promoted in Cadets and found out he'd been chosen the same week, so it was a very good week for him."

"He's working on his silver Duke of Edinburgh Award now so it will stand him in great stead and aid his progress in the Cadets. I'm sure he'll have a fantastic time and come back with great skills," Capt. Ferguson added.

Richard added that the course allows young people to get involved in adventure even without contacts and resources, and the benefits for young people in Cadets is phenomenal.