Catherine Fookes MP recently visited Caldicot’s brand new Cadet Centre, touring the state-of-the-art facilities and meeting with young cadets.

The new Joint Cadet Centre (JCC) is part of the Reserve Estate Optimisation Programme (REOP) in Wales, which aims to modernise cadet infrastructure and provide efficient, future-ready spaces for both army and air cadets. The new building replaces the former Army Cadet Force facility on Mill Lane, which was demolished to make way for this bespoke centre - representing a £1.2 million investment in Caldicot’s young people.

During her visit, Catherine spoke with cadets about their experiences, career goals, and what being a cadet means to them. She also answered questions about her role as Monmouthshire’s Member of Parliament before taking a tour of the new building, which features high-tech equipment including a flight simulator.

“It was fantastic to visit the new cadet centre and speak to the cadets,” said Catherine. “I even had a go on the flight simulator, flying over Monmouthshire! The cadets are extremely talented, enthusiastic, and clearly have bright futures ahead of them.”

The new centre provides a modern and spacious environment that will benefit today’s cadets and those of future generations.