Northern Ireland Cadets pedal their talent.

Cadets from the 1^st NI Battalion Corps of Drums, based in Ballymena, have just returned from Malta where they took part in the islands celebrated Malta Military Tattoo. Their performance earned praise from international audiences at the high profile event but, according to Director of Music, Ballymena woman Captain Heidi Blackwood, how they worked to fund the trip was almost as impressive!

The energetic teenagers had to pedal like mad to raise funds for the venture, supplementing a grant from the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Northern Ireland. They opted to stage a “virtual cycle”, pedalling 397 miles which is the equivalent distance of a flight from the cadet centre at Magilligan to Gatwick airport where the Cadets joined band cadets from Lincolnshire and Derbyshire to form the National Band of the Army Cadet Force UK.  The assembled band had the honour of performing in the 10^th Malta Military Tattoo at Ta’Qali – the fabulous finale of the Maltese ‘festive season’ which sees over 1,000 band performances in local venues large and small.

She says, “I’m always proud of my Cadets but I think they have excelled themselves with this ingenious fundraiser! They were so keen to play in the Malta tattoo as part of the national Band that they really put their hearts and souls into raising the funds needed for the trip and their passion sparked generosity in others too! Their sponsored cycle earned support from local business, Chain Reaction, as well as sponsorship from families and friends… fellow cadets generated a whopping £700 at the recent ‘Mini-Micks’ Cadet Challenge,,, and they even managed to have collection boxes placed in the NAAFIs in Kandahar and Camp Bastion across the world in Afghanistan, raising a handsome $1,600!”

“I think that by the time we finally got to Malta, everyone was more than ready to enjoy the break as well as what proved to be an amazing musical experience! The Northern Irish Cadets proved popular with everyone and I was delighted to receive so many compliments about their enthusiasm and general behaviour as well as their musicality: they really are a credit to the Army Cadet Force, their schools and, of course, their families.”

Photograph – Drummer Gregor Black