Whitsun Camp Day 1 – Arrival at Bramley CTC

The adventure has officially begun for 863 (Thurston) Squadron as cadets set off for the start of this year’s Whitsun Camp, beginning what promises to be an exciting week filled with activities, teamwork and plenty of opportunities to build friendships and memories.

Travelling in a rather warm and surprisingly mellow 30°C weather, spirits remained high throughout the journey as cadets settled in for the trip south.

A well-timed stop at South Mimms Services provided an opportunity to stretch legs, grab refreshments and, for many, discover the harsh realities of motorway service station pricing. A particular mention must go to Burger King, which left several cadets questioning whether they had accidentally wandered into a luxury dining establishment.

Following the brief stop, the journey continued towards our final destination — Bramley

Cadet Training Centre.

After arriving and getting settled in, cadets attended a series of important camp briefings delivered by staff including FLT LT Green, FS Millard and Cpl Millard. Despite spending much of the day travelling, the cadets remained engaged throughout, asking questions and showing genuine interest during each session. Their positive attitude and maturity set an excellent tone for the week ahead.

Safety and familiarisation formed an important part of the first evening. Cadets completed an orientation around the camp site, ensuring they became familiar with key locations including fire exits, extinguishers, welfare facilities and important safety points around camp.

With the formalities complete, there was finally time for some well-earned relaxation. The evening sunshine provided the perfect setting for rounders, frisbee and enjoying some downtime together after a long day on the road.

Dinner followed and gave everyone a chance to recharge before moving into an evening of social activities. Board games, cards and free-time activities gave cadets the opportunity to unwind and enjoy each other’s company, helping build the social cohesion that camps like this are so well known for.

Of course, while many cadets were enjoying a quieter evening, responsibility never rests for our NCOs and SNCOs. Demonstrating leadership and commitment, they headed out alongside staff to conduct reconnaissance for the following day’s leadership exercises. The team explored the site and began planning a variety of engaging and challenging activities designed to test teamwork and problem-solving skills over the coming days.

Day one may have centred around travel and settling in, but the foundations have already been laid for what looks set to be a fantastic week at Whitsun Camp.

The adventure has only just begun.