Wiltshire Police Cadets volunteer 670 hours since March

Wiltshire Police are marking the first National Cadet Week by celebrating the achievements of their police cadets and highlighting the opportunities available to young people across the county.

Across Wiltshire, Wiltshire Police have 84 police cadets across four sections in Warminster, Trowbridge, Swindon and Chippenham.

Cadets meet on a weekday evening during term time and take part in practical activities, teamwork exercises and skills development sessions. They learn about local policing priorities, aspects of the law and police procedures, specialist police units, and personal development topics including career guidance, healthy relationships and wellbeing. They also develop valuable life skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership.

Throughout the year, cadets work alongside neighbourhood policing teams, supporting community events, leaflet drops and engagement activities that help strengthen relationships between the police, young people and the wider public.

Since March, Wiltshire Police cadets have volunteered more than 670 hours of their time and attended 39 events, including Armed Forces Day at Lydiard Park, the High Sheriff Charity Gala, Taste of Corsham Food Festival, Active Trowbridge, Melksham River and Food Festival and Uniform Services Day.

The cadets have also volunteered on 19 test purchase operations across the county. These operations help assess whether age-restricted items such as knives, vapes and alcohol are being sold to people under 18, while also ensuring retailers understand their legal responsibilities.

In addition, cadets support Hotel Watch, helping raise awareness among hotel and hospitality staff of the signs of exploitation, modern slavery and other criminal activity, and encouraging reporting where concerns arise.

They have also been working with the Historic England Missing Pieces Project, which sees police and youth cadets document, photograph and research nationally protected historic sites. Wiltshire's cadets were recently recognised for updating the highest number of entries in the project, demonstrating their commitment and dedication.

PCSO Lee Stenning, Section Leader for Swindon, said: "I'm incredibly proud of everything our cadets have achieved. They give up their own time to support their communities, take on new challenges and develop valuable skills, all while representing Wiltshire Police with enthusiasm and professionalism.

"The dedication they showed during Historic England's Missing Pieces Project was outstanding. To be recognised for updating the highest number of entries is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work, commitment and attention to detail they bring to everything they do.

"Our cadets are a hugely valued part of the policing family. They bring energy, fresh ideas and a real willingness to get involved, and it's a privilege to watch them grow in confidence and make a positive difference in their communities.

"Every one of them should be proud of what they have accomplished. They are a credit to themselves, their families and their communities, and I look forward to seeing what they achieve next."

Interested in joining?

Police cadets are open to young people from all backgrounds. To join, applicants must be aged 13 to 16, must not have committed a violent or sexual offence, and must not be a member of any political or extremist organisation whose aims conflict with the duty to promote equality and inclusion.

Joining the cadets is an opportunity to make new friends, build confidence, develop lifelong skills and make a positive contribution to local communities.

Wiltshire Police are also looking for volunteer leaders to support our Volunteer Police Cadets. They're seeking enthusiastic individuals who can encourage and inspire young people to fulfil their potential and make a positive contribution to their communities. The Volunteer Police Cadets aims to foster a spirit of adventure, build confidence and resilience, and inspire a lifetime of good citizenship.

You can find more information here: Police Cadets | Wiltshire Police