Recognising Excellence Award Winners for 2021

The ACCT UK Recognising Excellence Awards, sponsored by BAE Systems and Ammo & Co, are special awards which support and promote the ACF’s core non-military programmes.

Trophies are awarded across five categories of the ACF’s core non-military programmes: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, First Aid, Music (Bands), Music (Pipes and Drums), National Sports and Community Service.

The awards event is provisionally planned for June 1, probably in London, where the winners will receive their trophies 🏆 and meet with key members of ACCT UK. The awards will be presented by a VIP. Full details will be provided to trophy recipients in the coming weeks.

Below we’ve listed the names of the winners and some words from their commandants about their nomination.

🏆Cdt Cpl Ewan Baillie – Northumbria ACF

Ewan is currently 2/3 way through his DoE Silver. The definition of an excellent all-round cadet who consistently surpasses, a talented and dependable young person, he has developed and flourished during his time in the ACF. During the Lockdown Ewan delivered 600 of his Little Bags of hope to key workers. He then created a Poem of Hope for 500 local residents.

🏆Capt Jason Jack – 1st (Northern Ireland) Bn ACF

Captain Jack has been the Battalion DoE Officer since Oct 2016, solely responsible for leading the DoE Team in delivering the programme to the Battalion’s Cadets. He exhibits the finest attributes of a volunteer, freely giving of his time and experience to organise, lead, instruct, manage and administer all things DoE, leading to 93 Bronze, 31 Silver and 8 Gold Awards between 2017 and 2020, and completely reinvigorating DoE within the Battalion.

🏆Cdt Cpl Finlee Brackstone – Middlesex & North West London Sector ACF

Cpl Brackstone has taken the progressive first aid skills that he has learned within the ACF and applied these in assisting in teaching the next generation of cadets at Company level as well as in dealing with two real life first aid emergencies.

🏆2Lt James Cox – Hampshire & Isle of Wight ACF

2 Lt Cox does not come from a medical background, but shortly after joining the ACF developed an interest in this area, taking the role of Medical Support Officer in March 2020. In the last 12 months James also qualified as a Healthy Minds practitioner and delivered training virtually and Face to Face to CFAVs becoming part of the National team. As a County we are now in a very strong place for qualified CFAVs due to the determined efforts of 2Lt Cox.

🏆Cdt Cpl Benjamin McCartney – Durham ACF

Cadet Cpl Ben McCartney and ex-cadet Fusilier Aaron Robertson-McDowell put in a tremendous effort during the COVID outbreak of running 48 miles in 48 hours, raising £1140 for Help the Heroes and the mental health charity Papyrus (reducing Youth Suicide) in memory of a former Cadet CSM Fusilier Jake Gregory who died earlier on 28th February 2021 at the age of 19. Ben is a dedicated Cadet who is a great example to other cadets.

🏆SMI Rob Aldcroft – Northumbria ACF

SMI Robert Aldcroft is a senior stalwart of Northumbria ACF and has been the County Sports Officer for the last 15 years. During this time, he has worked relentlessly promoting the involvement of cadets and adults in sport by his personal example and dedication.

For the last 10 years Robert has strived to get the best out of our cadets through involvement and competition in ACF sports at all levels, County, Regional, National, despite the difficulties of competing for staff and resources in a busy ACF programme.

🏆Staff Cadet Simeon Raines – Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland ACF

Simeon holds the rank of Cadet Company Sergeant Major and Cadet Drum Major for LNR.  At the National Music Camp held at Longmoor (Oct 21), he was selected as the National Cadet Drum Major for the ACF.  This is an extremely tough competition, with 30+ senior cadet from across the UK competing for this award.  The winner is selected by Regular instructors from the Army School of Ceremonial.

🏆SMI Kerrie Green – Gwent & Powys ACF

Kerrie is recommended for this award due to her regular and inspirational commitment to Army Cadets Music. Over this reporting period, which has been affected by Covid, she has arranged virtual theory lessons for Cadets.  The new syllabus includes theory at every star level and setting up this method of learning has produced great results amongst the Band Cadets, not only in Gwent & Powys locally, but also nationally.

🏆Cdt Bdr William Dougall – 1^st Bn The Highlanders ACF

Cadet Bombardier Dougall is a well turned out, intelligent and enthusiastic cadet who is always the first to volunteer when there are tasks to be completed. He has a very kind manner and looks after younger cadets who are placed under his charge, which is particularly evident when he leads the Drumming practice within the Battery. Bombardier Dougall, whilst a keen musician, also immerses himself fully in the APC activities and would like to achieve his 4 Star before he is due to leave the ACF in August 2022.

🏆SI Thomas Brown – 1^st Bn The Highlanders ACF

Thomas is recommended for this award due to his regular and inspirational commitment to Army Cadets Music.  Over this reporting period, which has been affected by Covid, he has arranged virtual theory lessons for the Battalion Cadets and has created a number of instructional videos which will allow our Cadets in the outer lying locations to practice. Although 1 Highlanders Pipes and Drums numbers have decreased of late due to ages and Covid, Thomas Brown has pushed on with a PR system in order to attract Cadet players into their detachment; this along with his video lessons and teaching skills, will help ensure that their Battalion P&D numbers will rise again and will assist the training of other Cadets who cannot regularly attend our training events.

🏆LCpl Steven Rushmer – Sussex ACF

Steven Rushmer has been a cadet with the Sussex Army Cadet Force for over 3 years. During this time he has given up his weekends leading up to Remembrance day during 2018, 2019 and recently 2021, by selling Poppies for the Royal British Legion for Midhurst and Petworth town. He has also attended and taken part in all parades for both Towns over the years, and this year he led the main Royal British Legion Parade through Petworth into the Church. Over the last 2 years L/Cpl Rushmer has gone out of this way to ensure a local neighbour has been cared for during the pandemic.

🏆2Lt Amanda Roxborough – 1^st (Northern Ireland) Bn ACF

Amanda is an outstanding, highly popular and extremely enthusiastic CFAV, she epitomises what is good about the ACF, and the values required of an AI.  2Lt Roxborough has both given and achieved much over the past 9.75 years. The variety and volume of her achievements in PR, DoE, Adventure Training, and community assistance are unrivalled, which has achieved numerous national and local awards.

Winning an ACCT UK Recognising Excellence award is an incredible achievement. It is the most prestigious award related to non-military achievement within the Army Cadet Force. It recognises the huge commitment of ACF adult volunteers and the amazing achievements of the cadets in non-military areas.

We’re really looking forward to the official awards event in June. Hopefully we’ll also be blessed with a lovely sunny day!