‘Once a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet – always a Lord-Lieutenant’s Cadet’ – that was the message from the Queen’s representative for Dyfed at her annual awards ceremony this month.

“It’s a very special, unique accolade and you should all be very proud of yourself,” said Miss Sara Edwards, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed, to her incoming and outgoing Cadets at her annual awards ceremony which was held at Picton Barracks in Carmarthen.

Amongst the group recognised at the event attended by more than 100 people, which also recognised the achievements of five outgoing Cadets and honoured six other members of the Armed Forces community were - Petty Officer Cadet Tegan Styles who has packed a lot into her time with Tenby Sea Cadets.

The Henry Tudor School in Pembroke pupil, whose parents and siblings are also active in Cadets has reached the highest rank and hopes to join the Navy. Her achievements range from advanced seamanship, multiple water proficiencies to mechanical engineering and air rifle marksmanship.

Leading Cadet sixteen-year-old Rhys Hughes-Phillips, of Milford Haven, joined the Milford Haven Sea Cadets and Royal Marine Cadets at the age of 10, and has enjoyed all aspects of the programme and now aims to join the Navy was also given recognition. His qualifications include power boating, sailing, first aid, marine engineering, navigation and rowing.

Cadet Warrant Officer Matthew Clark, 19, of Cardigan who had to learn to walk and talk again after undergoing emergency brain surgery a year ago and is now pursuing his ambition of joining the RAF, was one of seven teenagers appointed as HM Lord-Lieutenant Cadets, for Dyfed for 2020.

All seven, who were presented with their distinctive badge of appointment, were selected for their outstanding extra-curricular achievements and will now accompany HM Lord-Lieutenant at official engagements. It will include playing an active role at ceremonial events, such as Royal visits and Remembrance services held in Dyfed.

“I am delighted to be here to pay tribute to Dyfed’s thriving Reserve and Cadet community,” said Miss Edwards. “It was an enormous pleasure and privilege to listen to those impressive citations. And I think my most important duty this evening is to say a huge thank you and well done to all of you.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such very fine, highly trained part-time soldiers, sailors and air Reservists in our community and as for the volunteers, I really do not know where we would be without the volunteers.”

She said the Cadet Organisation was a wonderful organisation “encapsulating enthusiasm, discipline, dedication and all those things that helped our young people become responsible, worthwhile citizens of the future.”

She told her incoming Cadets that they would be in fact serving the Queen as well as their community and that she hoped they enjoyed their year.

There are more than 4,400 Cadets in Wales who come from the Sea Cadet Corps, Army Cadet Force and RAF Air Cadets. They are given opportunities to grow through life changing experiences, gain new skills and achieve qualifications as they enjoy fun with friends.

The event was organised by RFCA for Wales – an organisation that has supported the Armed Forces for over 100 years. RFCA for Wales is the enabling voice for Reserves and Cadets in Wales.