THREE members of Monmouthshire’s Cadet community have been celebrated by the Queen’s representative for Gwent.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE CStJ held his annual awards ceremony at Raglan Barracks in Newport on Thursday 8th February.

Cadet Company Sergeant Major Rhys Lewis from the Monmouth Detachments of Gwent and Powys Army Cadet Force (ACF) and Cadet Flight Sergeant Josephine Hurry from 2478 Abergavenny Squadron RAF Air Cadets were welcomed to the important role of Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet for 2018.

“Don’t let anyone ever tell you that there’s anything wrong with the youth of today,” he said. “We have some fantastic young men and women in our cadet organisations and that includes the adult volunteers and cadets.

“We are lucky to have organisations like the cadets here in Gwent that will provide a framework and opportunity for outstanding young people to be able to find their true potential.”

Over the next year, their new role will include accompanying the Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent at official engagements. The trio will experience significant involvement in Royal visits to the county and public parades, such as Remembrance events as Wales marks the 100th year since the end of the First World War.

The event was attended by nearly 50 people and the Lord-Lieutenant also paid tribute to the volunteers who give up their time to work with cadets and help them gain life changing opportunities and qualifications.

The Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate of Meritorious Volunteer Service was presented to Pilot Officer Matthew Riddell, the Officer in Charge at 2478 Abergavenny Squadron, to mark the achievements he’s made in four years of volunteering with future generations.

The event was organised by RFCA for Wales, an organisation that has supported the armed forces for more than 100 years.

Visit the website www.wales-rfca.org or contact @RFCAforWales for more information.