South East Reserves Forces' and Cadets' Association

How we champion cadets

We support more than 25,00024,000 cadets and over 4,2004,800 cadet force adult volunteers (CFAV) in South East England. As champions of the cadet movement, we promote the benefits of the cadet experience to young people’s lives.

ArmedBest ForcesTri-Service BriefingsCadet Award

The briefings2025 inwinner of the region.Best TheyTri-Service alsoCadet serveof toSussex, strengthensponsored andby sustainCadet vitalDirect, relationshipswas between defence and the widerbrilliant community.

ThisCadet year’sCompany briefingsSergeant includedMajor updatesRoberta onSancha thefrom StrategicNo.1 Defence(Brighton) Review,Detachment sharingSussex keyArmy messagesCadet andForce. insightsHer intoexcellence thewas futureagain directionrecognised ofas defenceshe policywas andalso capability.

Readawarded the fullPooley storyTri-Service here

CombinedSword Cadetof ForceHonour, Summerwhich Camp

Thethe annualsword Combinedhas Cadetbeen Forceawarded (CCF)and Summerhas Campbe broughtvery cadetsgenerously fromsponsored acrossby thePooley SouthSwords. EastIn addition to Longmoorthe Campceremonial forsword, aNorthern 3-weekTrust programmekindly designedsponsored tothe pushBest theirTri-Service limitsCadet andby broadenproviding theira skills.trophy and voucher.

DespiteSpeaking theon highher temperaturesawards, disruptingCadet someCSM ofSancha thesaid schedule,“this therecognition eventimpacts ranme smoothlyprofoundly thanksas toit highlights the dedicationpositive ofimpacts WO1we Welshcan andhave hiswhen Cadetwe Traininglead Teamwith purpose and adultsupport volunteers.those around us”.

Promoting the reserve forces

We work closely with 40 reserve units across the 3 services based in South East England to support recruitment and promote the reserve role in delivering the UK’s defence capability.

Reservist spotlight: PrivateSergeant TylerJames BurnellPerry

I joinedam theSergeant reservesJames toPerry, helpa mePhysical getTraining hands-onInstructor experience(PTI) whilecurrently goingserving throughwith the3rd processBattalion, Princess of joiningWales’s asRoyal aRegiment. RegularI Armyattested Officer.in MyMay unit,2024 chainand, ofafter commandcompleting andthe peersAdvanced havePTI beenCourse extremelyin supportiveOctober and2025, helpedI mewill inassume manythe ways.role Forof me,Quartermaster theSergeant bestInstructor part(QMSI) aboutfor beingthe aBattalion.

I reservistam isproud to be the sensefirst oflateral family!entry Evensergeant outsideinto ofthis scheduledrole. trainingTo weachieve oftenthat, meetI towent gothrough fora runsdemanding orselection forprocess, socialbeginning events.

Whilewith workingan full-timeinitial ininterview aat deskAldershot job,and themeeting reservesvery giveshigh mefitness standards at the chanceassessment tocentre, bebefore asecuring partsponsorship offrom something3 biggerPWRR. andMy givesCorps meis thatwith timethe outside.Royal OnArmy trainingPhysical coursesTraining Corps and weekendsI witham attached arms to 3 PWRR. While the unitRAPTC Iis havemy lovedprofessional sleepinghome, in3 thePWRR field,holds evena special place in themy rain!heart, Ias canthey honestlybacked sayme Ifrom nowthe sleepstart betterand inwelcomed my Bashaexpertise.

In thancivilian life, I doam myone ownof bed!two JoiningFitness theConsultants infantryfor reservesKent hasFire beenand Rescue Service. Both the bestArmy decisionand I’veFire everService made;operate in the memoriestactical athlete space, and opportunitiesthere foris developmenta arereal nextsynergy tobetween none.

Thisthe year,two weroles. areThe goingaccess I have to EstoniaRAPTC forresources aand trainingnetworks exercisestrengthens whichmy Ifire amservice planningwork, onand attendingvice afterversa. successfulI completionlive ofin theKent Combatwith Infantrymy Cousewife, (CIC).Lucy, Theand guysour arefour-year-old soson, supportiveThomas. withThomas everything,is fromvery helpingproud meof becomeboth familiarof withmy weaponsjobs handlingand often says he wants to buildingwork strengthfor withthe Army, the roleFire fitnessService, test.or sometimes both, when he grows up.

Read more about PteSergeant BurnellPerry

Engaging with employers and the local community

We work with local employers to encourage support of the UK armed forces community, and to recognise the valuable skill set members of the community bring to the workplace. Our enduring relationships with local communities continue to encourage support for reserves, cadets and the wider military family across the south-east.

SouthSERFCA East Gold and SilverThames EmployerValley RecognitionPolice SchemePartnering Awardwith winnersDefence 2025Event

WeIn areconjunction delightedwith toand announceThames thatValley 16Police organisationsSERFCA fromhosted acrossan theEmployer SouthEngagement EastEvent haveat beenthe awardedThames theValley DefencePolice EmployerTraining RecognitionCentre Schemein (ERS)Reading, Goldwelcoming Award,a whilebroad 33 organisationmix achievedof theorganisations Silverfrom Awardacross forthe 2025.South East.

ThisThe year’sevening winnerscommenced demonstratewith thea powerguided tour of values-ledthe leadership,Thames creatingValley morePolice inclusive,Dog resilient,Section andfacilities, dynamicincluding organisations.

Anthonyan Young,impressive CEOdemonstration by one of Bridewell,the said:

Atdogs Bridewell,in wetraining arewho deeplyis proudnamed ofafter ourformer armedBritish forcesparatrooper, communityveteran’s campaigner and areauthor, committedBen Parkinson MBE.

Following the tour, guests returned to providingthe thempresentation hall for an environmentopening whereaddress theyby arethe supportedChief andConstable feelof theyThames canValley belong.Police, BeingJason awardedHogg. ‘Gold’He underwas thefollowed Employerby RecognitionLieutenant SchemeColonel attestsVictoria toEaton thisof ongoingHeadquarters commitment,South asEast, wellwho asprovided an overview of the greatBritish workArmy beingand doneReserve byunits in the membersThames ofValley, ourand DefenceSquadron andLeader EmergencyJohn ServicesBurgess, Network.

ManyOfficer membersCommanding of606 the(Chiltern) networkSquadron areRoyal currentlyAuxiliary inAir service,Force, veteranswho oroutlined supportingthe RAF presence in the cadets,region.

Attendees andalso weheard arefirst-hand continuallyinsights impressedfrom withtwo theirThames professionalism,Valley drivePolice employees: Major Lewis Harratt, a serving Reservist, and experience.Steve TheClements, armeda forcesCadet communityForce areAdult essentialVolunteer. toTheir Bridewell’scontributions mission,were andfollowed weby willclosing continueremarks tofrom supportGroup themCaptain andKeith advocateLane on(Retd), theirHead behalfof whereverEngagement weat can.SERFCA.

AccessThe event concluded with the fullsigning listof five Armed Forces Covenants (AFCs), co-signed on behalf of awardthe winnersMinistry of Defence by Lieutenant Colonel Eaton and Squadron Leader Burgess.

Providing the best places to work and train

We manage and maintain the 300 buildings that are home to local cadet and reserve units as well as home adaptations for injured service people living in the south-east area.

OfficialJoint openingCadet ofCentres theOpen refurbishedin BexhillBanbury Jointand CadetCowley CentreFollowing Major Refurbishments

TheHis newly-refurbishedMajesty’s Bexhill-on-SeaLord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Mrs Marjorie Glasgow BEM, recently presided over the openings of two newly refurbished Joint Cadet CentreCentres was(JCCs) officiallyin openedBanbury byand MrCowley.

The Andrewofficial Blackman,opening Hisof Majesty’sthe Cowley JCC took place on Tuesday 2nd September 2025. The Lord-Lieutenant was joined by Anneliese Dodds MP (Oxford East) and the Lord Mayor of EastOxford, SussexCllr onLouise ThursdayUpton, 17marking July.a proud moment for the local community. This JCC will be shared by Blackbird Leys Detachment, Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force, 2210 (Cowley) Squadron, Air Training Corps and 150 (City of Oxford) Squadron, Air Training Corps.

CadetsOn willMonday have13th October 2025, the opportunityLord-Lieutenant officially opened the refurbished Banbury JCC, now home to learnBanbury importantJordan lifeDetachment, skillsOxfordshire atArmy theCadet centreForce, throughand their1460 cadet(Banbury) forceSquadron, training,Air whileTraining learningCorps.

Both refurbished centres underscore a shared commitment to becomeproviding valuablehigh-quality environments where cadets can grow, learn, and develop into confident and capable members of society. The qualificationsachievements theyof gainthese duringprojects theirreflect trainingthe andhard throughwork theand Dukededication of EdinburghCadet AwardForce SchemeAdult willVolunteers, showas potentialwell employersas thatthe theycontinued cansupport beof anational greatand assetregional organisations working to theirstrengthen business.the Cadet movement across Oxfordshire.

Contact

• Phone: 01252 357606
• Email: se-info@rfca.mod.uk

Follow us

Facebook: facebook.com/serfca/

X: @southeastRFCA

Instagram: @SouthEastRFCA

LinkedIn: South East RFCA

Related content

Cadet Link WinterAutumn 2024/252025

Reserve Link SpringAutumn 2025