CVQO Inside Track

High-res Kent to Devon Cycle Ride for CVQO Sergeant Major Steve Drewery, Training Safety Advisor for Kent 2 Brigade, will be cycling from Kent to Devon in August to raise £2,000 for the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 Certificate in Teamwork, Personal Skills and Citizenship. At just under 280 miles, the Kent to Devon (K2D) route will take Sgt Maj Drewery from Penshurst Place, Kent to Okehampton, Devon via Winchester and Bridport during a rigorous three days of cycling.  The Lord Lieutenant of Kent and his two deputies will be waving Sgt Maj Drewery off from Penshurst Place, the Lord Lieutenant’s home, on Thursday 8 August. The final leg on Saturday 10 August will see him cycle into the Kent ACF Summer Camp at Okehampton on the first day of camp. Around 20 cadets will then be able to take the Level 1 qualification during their two weeks at camp thanks to the money raised by the K2D bike ride.  Sgt Maj Drewery said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to raise funds and give those kids a chance that they wouldn’t normally have to get on the education ladder. I’ll be training right up until August and I’m looking to do 20-30 miles a day.” Clinton Riley, Head of Development at CVQO and the person responsible for sourcing funding for the Level 1 BTEC, has seen the success of the qualification first-hand. “This qualification accredits the essential skills that an employer is looking for when recruiting a young person. It will assist young people into the world of employment and will also assist them to play a greater part in their communities and society.” To sponsor Sgt Maj Drewery, please visit his giving site by clicking here,

Kent to Devon Cycle Ride for CVQO

Sergeant Major Steve Drewery, Training Safety Advisor for Kent 2 Brigade, will be cycling from Kent to Devon in August to raise £2,000 for the CVQO-led BTEC Level 1 Certificate in Teamwork, Personal Skills and Citizenship.

At just under 280 miles, the Kent to Devon (K2D) route will take Sgt Maj Drewery from Penshurst Place, Kent to Okehampton, Devon via Winchester and Bridport during a rigorous three days of cycling. 

The Lord Lieutenant of Kent and his two deputies will be waving Sgt Maj Drewery off from Penshurst Place, the Lord Lieutenant’s home, on Thursday 8 August. The final leg on Saturday 10 August will see him cycle into the Kent ACF Summer Camp at Okehampton on the first day of camp. Around 20 cadets will then be able to take the Level 1 qualification during their two weeks at camp thanks to the money raised by the K2D bike ride. 

Sgt Maj Drewery said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to raise funds and give those kids a chance that they wouldn’t normally have to get on the education ladder. I’ll be training right up until August and I’m looking to do 20-30 miles a day.”

Clinton Riley, Head of Development at CVQO and the person responsible for sourcing funding for the Level 1 BTEC, has seen the success of the qualification first-hand.

“This qualification accredits the essential skills that an employer is looking for when recruiting a young person. It will assist young people into the world of employment and will also assist them to play a greater part in their communities and society.”

To sponsor Sgt Maj Drewery, please visit his giving site by clicking here,

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High-res Congratulations 1181 Syston Squadron ATC! - nominated at the vInspired Awards as outstanding young volunteers (story submitted by Cpl George Sutton, Aged 15, Wreake Valley Academy) On Tuesday 26th March 2013, five cadets and one member of staff from 1181 Syston Squadron ATC boarded coach C of the East Midlands train to St. Pancras Station in London after a steaming hot cup of coffee in the comfort of Leicester train station. After enjoying several refreshments and five toilet stops each on the underground, we reached Old Street, London, and the quest to find the Premier Inn began. After several yards of putting our DofE skills into practice, we found our luxurious home for the evening. A “quick” one hour change into our uniforms began and in the hour, both the girls and even the boys were ready to depart for the Roundhouse Theatre where the Grand Ceremony was being held. A quick navigation of the tubes made essential transport for getting around the big city of London. Mingling with other award winners, we soon discovered some of the amazing facts about why some people were at the event and what astounding things they have/had achieved. We were called to our seats and the evening began with our hosts, The Saturdays, comedian Eddie Kadi and Former UK Model and TV Presenter, Katie Piper. The ceremony lasted two hours, revealing all of the fantastic award finalists and their commitments to their communities, we saw the winner’s faces and how much it meant to them to be recognised and rewarded for being an outstanding young volunteer in today’s society. Representing the East Midlands Regional Winners in the team volunteering catagory, the cadets from 1181 Syston ATC Squadron looked immaculate in their uniform and representing the Air Training Corps proud. They were nominated for the award as a result of 1181 Squadrons commitment to volunteering in the community and for other organisations such as RAFA and the British Legion. The volunteering gives them a sense of pride and achievement whilst also contributing to their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and their Public Services BTEC run by CVQO. Flt Lt Andy Kenyon said: “Being nominated for the award and being invited to a large national awards ceremony is a testament to the hard work put in by the cadets of 1181 throughout the year. Their commitment to improving their community and helping others is a credit to themselves. I am very proud of them and all the work that they do.” 1181 Squadron meet on a Monday and Thursday from 19:00hrs to 21:30hrs and are based in the ATC hut in the grounds of Wreake Valley College. We are actively recruit new members and any interested parties should contact Flight Lieutenant Kenyon on oc.1181@aircadets.org. If you would like to submit a story about your BTEC cadets and activities, please send it to pr2@cvqo.org

Congratulations 1181 Syston Squadron ATC! - nominated at the vInspired Awards as outstanding young volunteers

(story submitted by Cpl George Sutton, Aged 15, Wreake Valley Academy)

On Tuesday 26th March 2013, five cadets and one member of staff from 1181 Syston Squadron ATC boarded coach C of the East Midlands train to St. Pancras Station in London after a steaming hot cup of coffee in the comfort of Leicester train station. After enjoying several refreshments and five toilet stops each on the underground, we reached Old Street, London, and the quest to find the Premier Inn began. After several yards of putting our DofE skills into practice, we found our luxurious home for the evening.

A “quick” one hour change into our uniforms began and in the hour, both the girls and even the boys were ready to depart for the Roundhouse Theatre where the Grand Ceremony was being held. A quick navigation of the tubes made essential transport for getting around the big city of London.

Mingling with other award winners, we soon discovered some of the amazing facts about why some people were at the event and what astounding things they have/had achieved. We were called to our seats and the evening began with our hosts, The Saturdays, comedian Eddie Kadi and Former UK Model and TV Presenter, Katie Piper.

The ceremony lasted two hours, revealing all of the fantastic award finalists and their commitments to their communities, we saw the winner’s faces and how much it meant to them to be recognised and rewarded for being an outstanding young volunteer in today’s society.

Representing the East Midlands Regional Winners in the team volunteering catagory, the cadets from 1181 Syston ATC Squadron looked immaculate in their uniform and representing the Air Training Corps proud. They were nominated for the award as a result of 1181 Squadrons commitment to volunteering in the community and for other organisations such as RAFA and the British Legion.

The volunteering gives them a sense of pride and achievement whilst also contributing to their Duke of Edinburgh Awards and their Public Services BTEC run by CVQO.

Flt Lt Andy Kenyon said:

“Being nominated for the award and being invited to a large national awards ceremony is a testament to the hard work put in by the cadets of 1181 throughout the year. Their commitment to improving their community and helping others is a credit to themselves. I am very proud of them and all the work that they do.”

1181 Squadron meet on a Monday and Thursday from 19:00hrs to 21:30hrs and are based in the ATC hut in the grounds of Wreake Valley College. We are actively recruit new members and any interested parties should contact Flight Lieutenant Kenyon on oc.1181@aircadets.org.

If you would like to submit a story about your BTEC cadets and activities, please send it to pr2@cvqo.org

CVQO Alumni!

At CVQO we are always pleased to hear from our students! Recently our CEO received an email from Joseph McCrudden:

“I am very glad to send you this email to confirm that I have received the CVQO led ILM Certificate in Team Leading.

I would like to thank you for all your efforts to recognise the Air Cadet Junior Leaders Course with this qualification - this will definitely benefit me in pursuing my career.”

Joseph is from 184 Sqn, Greater Manchester Wing and is now 19 years old.  He has completed several CVQO led qualifications, including the BTEC level 2 in Public Services and the ILM Level 2 Award in Team Leading in July 2011. He followed this with the ILM L2 Certificate in Team Leading in Oct 2012.