The aim of the Cadet Training Centre, Frimley Park, is to act as the National Centre of Excellence for the Cadet Movement and thus be a source of inspiration and information.

The Cadet Training Centre achieves this aim by running a variety of Courses, Briefngs and Conferences as directed by Headquarters Land Command.

Our busy annual programme caters for almost 2,000 students each year. Since opening, over 90,000 adults and cadets have passed through CTC.

In 1957 the Amery Committee proposed that a training centre for the Combined Cadet Force ( CCF) and Army Cadet Force ( ACF) be established, under a Board of Governors" . The War Offce decided Frimley Park, whose house and grounds had been used since 1951 as the WRAC Staff College, should house the newly named Cadet Training Centre. Located near Camberley, Surrey, Frimley Park . s unique setting provides visual evidence of the support the MOD gives to the youth of today.

After extensive renovations, CTC Frimley Park opened in 1959 and the frst course assembled on the 5th of April; an ACF Offcers . King George VI Memorial Leadership Course of 18 students.

Since 1966 our grounds have been much reduced in size, most being given up to the local hospital, but we remain just large enough to cope with the needs of the wide range of Courses we offer. In 1991 the Duke of Edinburgh offcially opened our new administrative block, replacing the old huts and giving us offces, classrooms, a . 22 range and showers. A gymnasium, shared with the new MOD Hospital Unit, was opened in 2001.

CTC has frequently been visited by distinguished people, including, on 12 July 1978, the Queen, Captain General of the CCF, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, Colonel-in-Chief of the ACF.

Our main purpose is to train the Off cers and Instructors of both the CCF and ACF -we teach them to train their cadets safely. We do this by conducting Courses, Conferences and Briefings throughout the year. Most of the Courses cater for some 40 students and last five days, ( arriving on a Sunday and leaving on a Friday) . They are all carefully planned to develop the skills, and particularly the conf dence, needed to lead cadets. We issue our Annual Course Programme, as directed by Headquarters Land Command, in August/ September, for the following training year.

The main CCF and ACF Courses are:

FOR ADULTS

CCF Courses

Basic (Qualifying) Course

CCF Advanced Course

ACF Courses

Adult Instructors' Course

King George VI Memorial Leadership
Course

Area Commanders' Course

Cadet Commandants' Course and Senior Officers Course

FOR CADETS

Cadet Leadership Course

Three one-week Courses are held at CTC each July for the highest calibre cadets, of the CCF, Sea Cadet Corps ( SCC) , ACF and Air Training Corps (ATC) . Each Course has 120 places and focuses on leadership training and assessment.

ACF Master Cadet Course

Run three times a year, this demanding course for 4-Star cadets concentrates on the leadership and military skills needed to gain credibility as one of the top cadets of a County and to determine suitability for appointment as a Master Cadet.

The Champion Cadet Competition

ACF Master Cadets may compete for the Claire Shore Trophy and Silver medal. This annual competition, over a weekend in September, tests both physical and mental aptitude. Activities range from Leadership Tasks, Weapon Training, Map and Compass skills including night navigation, to Drill, 1st Aid, Logical Problem Solving and a comprehensive test of the APC Syllabus. The Competition is judged on leadership, teamwork, self-discipline and unselfishness; all attributes that are developed through membership of the ACF.

CONFERENCES AND BRIEFINGS

We also run specialist Courses and host many of the major Briefngs and Conferences that take place across the Cadet Movement. These include:

• 1st Aid: Training, Advanced, Trainers', and Training Development Advisors' , Courses,
• Cadet Target Rife Courses,
• Cadet Training Team Briefngs and Commanders' Conference,
• School Heads' Briefng Day,
• Regular Army and TA Briefng days,
• ACF Duke of Edinburgh's Award Conferences and Training
  Course,
• The Headquarters Land Cadet Convention, PR and Cadet Exchange Conferences, ACFA Outreach Conferences, ACF Training
  Committee Meetings, and ACF Training Offcers' and Sports Offcers' Conferences.

Most Courses have specially selected members of the CCF and ACF as Assistant Directing Staff ( ADS) or Speakers. CTC is extremely grateful to all those who give up their own time to come and assist the Regular Military Staff at Frimley Park and for the balance they bring between the military perspective and the current policies on youth, education and duty of care.

Cadet units are able to use the wonderful grounds and facilities at Frimley Park, in the evenings or over weekends. Over and above our students, some 2,000 people a year take up this opportunity. The unit must provide its own qualifed safety staff to run the activities and provide their own meals as no accommodation is available; however, toilets, showers and drinking water are available. The facilities at CTC are booked through our Assistant Chief Instructor (ACI) and are:

Obstacle Course
. 22 Miniature Range
Classrooms/ Lecture Hall
Lake for Watermanship
Command Tasks

First presented in 1960 on the Centenary of the foundation of the Cadet Movement, the CCF and ACF Banners are kept at Frimley Park. These are available for units to parade themselves, except over the Remembrance weekend when they lead the parade in the Albert Hall as part of the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance. Bookings should be made through the CTC Adjutant.

When eventually replaced, the old Banners are laid up in our local church, St Peter's, in the village of Frimley.