Thurso army cadet instructor rewarded for lockdown efforts
A volunteer from Thurso has been rewarded for his efforts in keeping young people in Caithness engaged during lockdown.
Sergeant Major Instructor Stuart Taggart (31), from Thurso Detachment 1st Battalion The Highlanders Army Cadet Force, was awarded Commander's Coin by Brigadier Mark Christie OBE, Deputy Commander Cadets at ACF Regional Command, for his efforts in boosting the morale of the battalion since the organisation suspended face-to-face training at the end of March.
SMI Taggart became a well-known face throughout the Army Cadet Force during lockdown. He and a fellow volunteer, Second Lieutenant Daisy Burnside from Culloden, co-hosted weekly interviews on the battalion’s YouTube channel.
The interviews saw them both speak to various army cadet personalities, including the battalion’s own personnel, former cadets and senior members of the organisation, including author and TV personality Big Phil Campion who is the national champion of the Army Cadet Force.
Conducted over a 13-week period, the interviews have been shared throughout the organisation.
On top of his morale-boosting activities, SMI Taggart has been ensuring that the cadets of the battalion – which covers the Highlands, Moray, Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – have been progressing with their normal cadet training. He has been helping to deliver the battalion’s online training programme.
SMI Taggart has also been involved in hosting fun activities for the cadets of Caithness company, such as bingo evenings to help the cadets to socialise and catch up, as many of them would otherwise not have seen each other until the schools returned.
Along with the coin, Stuart received a letter from Brigadier Christie, with his citation reading: “The time and effort you have selflessly committed as a CFAV are clearly considerable, during what have been incredibly difficult weeks and now months. I very much admire those who have chosen to make such an outstanding commitment to support the wellbeing of others.”
