Army cadets on an assault course. The MOD wants to expand the cadet forces by 30 per cent by 2030 under its "30 by 30" campaign. (Photo: Bombardier Murray Kerr / MOD, via Wikimedia Commons, OGL v1.0)

National Cadets Week Starts on Monday: Britain's First-Ever Week Celebrating Its Cadets

On Monday, Britain will celebrate its cadet forces with a dedicated national week for the first time. From 5 to 11 October, the inaugural National Cadets Week will put the country's tens of thousands of young cadets and their adult volunteers centre stage, with open days, school visits and a heavy emphasis on first aid training.

The week is the latest step in the government's drive to put the cadet movement at the heart of its "whole-of-society" approach to defence, the idea that national resilience depends on more than the regular Armed Forces. It also comes as ministers prepare to publish a new Cadets Action Plan setting out their long-term vision for the movement.

Key facts

• The first National Cadets Week runs from Monday 5 October to Sunday 11 October 2026.
• Cadet units across the UK will open their doors to schools, families and local communities.
• The week has a strong focus on first aid training and lifesaving skills.
• A new Cadets Action Plan will be published during the week, setting out the government's long-term vision for cadet provision.
• The move sits under the government's "30 by 30" campaign, launched in August 2025, which aims to expand the cadet forces by 30 per cent by 2030, adding more than 40,000 cadets.
• The MOD-sponsored cadet forces are the Royal Navy Cadets (Sea Cadet Corps and Volunteer Cadet Corps), the Army Cadet Force, the Air Training Corps and the Combined Cadet Force.

What the week involves

Throughout the seven days, cadet detachments around the country will throw open their doors. The idea is simple: give schools, families, employers and local communities a direct look at what the cadet forces offer, and get more young people and adult volunteers through the door.

Cadets and volunteers will deliver presentations to schools and workplaces, and outreach events are planned in communities across the UK. A day-by-day programme published by Milton Keynes City Council's Armed Forces community page gives a flavour of the shape of the week: Monday is the official launch, Tuesday celebrates cadets in the community, Wednesday recognises the adult volunteers, Thursday is billed as "Cadets Save Lives" with the focus on first aid and emergency response, Friday covers "Skills for Life", Saturday is open day, and Sunday closes the week with a celebration day reflecting on what cadets and volunteers achieve.

Anyone wondering where their nearest unit is can approach their local detachment or school; the Combined Cadet Force in particular is built around school contingents, while the Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps and Sea Cadets operate in communities across the country.

A new Cadets Action Plan

Ministers will use the week to publish a new Cadets Action Plan. The government says it will set out a long-term vision for high-quality, accessible cadet provision, making sure more young people from all backgrounds can take part.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the plan will cover modernising the cadet experience, building an attractive offer to recruit and retain adult volunteers, and making sure cadets and volunteers have the resources and support they need.

Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP said: "Cadet forces are one of the best examples we have of the whole-of-society approach to defence in action, bringing together young people from all backgrounds and giving them the confidence, skills and sense of purpose that benefit their communities and our country as a whole."

She added: "None of this would be possible without the thousands of adult volunteers who give their time freely, and I want to thank every one of them. I hope National Cadets Week inspires more people to get involved and support their local cadet force. You don't need a military background, just a commitment to young people. It is one of the most rewarding things you can do."

Minister for Schools Standards Georgia Gould said the week would be "a fantastic chance to celebrate the incredible difference cadet programmes make to young people's lives across the UK", adding that the government was making sure more young people than ever built confidence and life skills through cadets in schools.

The 30 by 30 expansion

The week does not come out of nowhere. Under the "30 by 30" campaign launched in August 2025, the MOD is expanding cadet opportunities for a new generation, aiming to grow the cadet forces by 30 per cent by 2030. The department says that will deliver more than 40,000 extra cadets across the UK.

The target is part of the broader commitments that followed the Strategic Defence Review, which called for a whole-of-society approach to defence. The argument, in essence, is that Britain's security rests not just on ships, planes and battalions but on the resilience of the population and its ties to the Armed Forces. Cadets, who learn first aid, leadership and teamwork from their early teens, are seen as a natural vehicle for that.

The Cadets Action Plan, ministers say, will support the growth of the cadet forces and help more young people progress into careers in the Armed Forces, the public services and the wider defence sector.

Who the cadet forces are

The MOD sponsors four cadet forces. The Army Cadet Force is the largest of the community-based forces, open to young people aged 12 and above. The Air Training Corps is the RAF's cadet organisation, with squadrons across the country. The Royal Navy Cadets cover both the Sea Cadet Corps and the Volunteer Cadet Corps. The Combined Cadet Force is the school-based organisation, with Army, Royal Navy and RAF sections in schools across Britain.

They are not part of the Armed Forces, and joining carries no obligation to enlist. But the MOD funds and sponsors them, and they remain one of the most direct links between serving personnel and the communities they come from.

What cadets actually do

The weekly rhythm of cadet life is broader than most people imagine. Cadets learn drill and fieldcraft, but the programme also runs to adventurous training, flying, sailing and Civil Aviation Authority-endorsed drone qualifications. Alongside the military-flavoured training, cadets work towards nationally recognised qualifications: BTECs, first aid certificates and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

The focus on first aid during National Cadets Week is a deliberate choice. Thursday's "Cadets Save Lives" theme puts the skill front and centre, and the government clearly wants the week to show that cadet training has practical value in ordinary civilian life, not just on a parade square.

Royal Navy cadet Lila Unlu, 14, said: "Being a cadet has given me amazing opportunities I would never have experienced in my day-to-day life. It's taught me so much about resilience, team building, and leadership. Along the way I've made some incredible friends, built confidence and created memories and skills that will stay with me for life."

Known and unknown

What is confirmed: the dates, the four cadet forces involved, the first aid focus, the open-door events and the promise of a Cadets Action Plan during the week. The ministerial quotes above are on the record.

What is not yet known: the detail of the Cadets Action Plan itself, which has not been published at the time of writing, and how the 40,000 additional cadet places will be funded and staffed. Adult volunteers are the backbone of the movement, and recruiting enough of them will be the real test of the 30 per cent expansion.

What happens next

The week begins on Monday with the official launch, and the Cadets Action Plan should land at some point during the seven days. Detachments will run their open days and community events through to Sunday's celebration day. The bigger question, which will only be answered in the months that follow, is whether the week and the action plan translate into the sustained growth the "30 by 30" target demands.

Conclusion

For a movement that has quietly shaped millions of young lives for well over a century, a dedicated national week is long overdue. National Cadets Week is partly celebration and partly recruitment drive, wrapped in a serious policy point about what defence means in the 2020s. Whether it becomes a permanent fixture will depend on what ministers announce this week, and what follows afterwards.

Related articles

• The Gurkhas: How Nepalese Soldiers Became a British Army Legend
• The Parachute Regiment: How the Paras Became Britain's Elite Airborne Infantry
• The Victoria Cross: How Britain's Highest Award for Gallantry Came to Be

Sources

• Ministry of Defence / GOV.UK, "First-ever National Cadets Week to celebrate cadets and reconnect young people with the Armed Forces"
• Army Cadets (armycadets.com), "First-ever National Cadets Week"
• Combined Cadet Force (combinedcadetforce.org.uk), "Announcing the First-ever National Cadets Week!"
• Milton Keynes City Council, Armed Forces community updates (day-by-day programme)