:: Spotlight

There are about one hundred and fifty adult volunteers in Surrey ACF. Many of them are ex-cadets and some have been involved in the cadet movement for twenty years or more. Who are these people and what do they do in the ACF? This feature turns the spotlight on some of our key volunteers and their specific roles. Similarly, there are 26 Detachments in the County each being unique. We shall have a look at some of them and try to work out the secret of their success.

:: Spotlight On: Past & Present

On Monday 29th October 2007, the Commandant Colonel Andrew Blowers, hosted a lunch for a number of former Commandants and Senior Officers of Surrey ACF, some of whom he had served under as a very junior officer! The purpose of  the lunch was to show the guests how Surrey ACF had moved forward on the foundations that they had laid and to appraise them of futures plans and targets. 

All the guests commented on the high regard in which Surrey ACF was held and offered their support for the future. 

Pictured above from left to right:
Major Alan Mulder (PMC), Major Nigel Nicholson (Padre), Major David Robinson (SACFA), Major Ken Stewardson (Former CEO), Lt Col Chris Rowland (former Deputy Commandant and MO), Major David Williams (MO), Colonel Peter Tween (former Commandant & Honorary Colonel), Major Simon Hopkin (CEO), Colonel David Cox (former Commandant), Colonel Andrew Blowers (Commandant), Reverend Bert Steed (former Padre), Brigadier Graeme Bartlett (former Commandant & current Honorary Colonel)

:: Spotlight On: Chobham Detachment

The first Detachment to submit copy for the Spotlight feature is Chobham Detachment belonging to C Company. Detachment Commander SI Matt Pedwell, ably assisted by SI Julie Barnes and Cadet RSM Chris Roper, runs a first rate unit in the Surrey hinterland. Due to their sterling efforts the Detachment now boasts 27 cadets parading regularly with new recruits baying at the doors to get in!

To what does SI Pedwell attribute his success? Sound organisation, good planning and good leadership. The Detachment is well organised and there is always something going on. 

This past year has been very busy and has focused on supporting the community. The cadets raised over £360 for the British Legion Poppy Appeal and helped the Army Benevolent Fund in Woking to raise over £1200. Volunteer cadets also helped out at the 50th Anniversary Service of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme at Guildford Cathedral where they assisted members of the public and participated in the service. 

Chobham Cadets Ready For The Poppy Appeal	Getting Ready For Remembrance Day	At The Village Hall	Where Did You say Chobham Was?

On Remembrance Day the Detachment took part in the Woking service in the morning and played a leading role in the Chobham service in the afternoon. 

In Chobham the Detachment marched through the village with veterans from the recent wars and after a brief service and wreath laying ceremony at the cenotaph formed a Guard of Honour at the Village Hall. So impressed were the village elders that the Detachment was invited to help to decorate the village Christmas Tree.

On 14th December 2006 the Detachment will hold a Christmas Mess Evening. The Detachment looks forward to the year 2007 with great anticipation.

:: Spotlight On: Major David Newman - Battalion Commander

"If you put in the effort you will succeed"

Major Newman joined the Army Cadet Force in 1979 in South West London. His cadet career saw him rise to the giddy height of Cadet Sergeant Major, achieving his APC four star on the way.

On reaching eighteen years of age, David Newman enlisted in South West London ACF as an Adult Instructor where he ran three detachments at various times. He was obviously a success as a young Adult Instructor because, by 1987, he earned a commission and was promoted to second lieutenant.

In 1989, Lieutenant Newman transferred to Surrey ACF and was made the Detachment Commander of Redhill. After a while he was transferred to Caterham as Detachment Commander.

In the period when Surrey ACF comprised three small battalions, Lieutenant Newman was promoted to captain and appointed Company Commander of firstly Albuhera Company and later Quebec Company of the old 1st Battalion, located in the East of Surrey. Eventually he was appointed as Training Officer of the old 1st Battalion.

By 1999, Captain Newman was appointed County Training Officer and promoted to Major. In this role he was responsible for a wide range of innovations in training and the administration of training. Under his guidance the quality of training improved and many of his initiatives have now become standard throughout the ACF. One of these was the structured training programme for new adults joining the ACF that has markedly improved retention and which is now mandatory for all new starters.

Another initiative by Major Newman was the introduction into Surrey ACF of the BTEC scheme in which cadets can earn a BTEC First Certificate in Public Services (equivalent to 4 GCSE's at A to C) through their participation in the ACF and successes in training. 

Following the restructuring of the ACF organisation in Surrey in 2005 Major Newman was appointed Battalion Commander with the responsibility of coordinating the training and administration of the five Surrey ACF cadet companies. As a measure of his commitment to the BTEC Scheme, Major Newman retains his role as BTEC Officer for the County which he has had since the scheme was introduced in 2003.

Major Newman has been involved with the ACF for 27 years as a cadet and an instructor and has found that his ACF training has helped him in his career:

"The ACF helped me to grow in confidence as a young man and gave me the self-confidence to achieve not only at school and in the cadets but later on in my work career. If you put in the effort you will succeed. I only wish that the BTEC Award was around when I was a cadet. The BTEC Scheme now gives all our cadets the chance to achieve academically as well as in their ACF career and gives them a qualification that they can use in their chosen career. This Award has now been opened up to our Adult Instructors and Officers as well enabling them to obtain a degree through the work they do with the cadet force. So far we have had one graduate and I licentiateship qualification gained this year and hopefully by April 2006 I will have gained mine as well!"

As a young adult, David Newman left school and served as an electrical apprenticeship followed by a number of years as an electrician. Later, he transferred to the sales side of the industry and is now a Regional Sales Manager responsible for running a sales team in the South of England.

Major Newman is a family man, living in East Grinstead, with his wife and three children.