For the first time in their history, Timaru cadets and Cubs have joined forces for a combined event.
At Phar Lap Raceway, the home base of the Timaru Cadets, Cubs from Rowallan Scout Group were put through their paces in a tailored assault course.
The evening began with an army parade that the Cubs participated in, followed by the raising of the flag.
The Cubs were then taken over to the assault course, which featured obstacles including crawling under a mesh net, carrying ammunition boxes, push-ups, star jumps and much more.
The Cubs were split into groups and tackled three different courses, rotating through them while being cheered on and instructed by the cadets.
The roles were then flipped, and the Cubs encouraged the cadets as they gave the courses they had created a crack.
Timaru Army Cadets Lieutenant Mark Wheatley said it was great to get the two youth organisations together.
‘‘It’s the first time we’ve linked up. Usually it’s us and them. I only want to associate with organisations that are of a similar mindset to me and my cadets, so it’s great to be able to do something like this.’’
For the event to go ahead, he needed to ask permission from Burnham.
‘‘I told them what we were going to do, and they said ‘well that’s never been done before’. So I asked them if we could do it because there is no form for it and there is a form for everything in the army.
‘‘They asked exactly what we were going to do, so I explained it all and then I had to assure them of [the Cubs’] safety. We’ve had to liaise quite a lot to make sure of that.’’
In his vision and command statement, Lt Wheatley said his mission with the Timaru Cadets was to create a safe learning environment that trained and challenged young people to become good citizens.
That was something very important to him.
‘‘I’m all about inclusion and not exclusion. We’ve got cadets here with anxiety, with family problems, with all this, that and the other. We do stuff like helping out with Steam Up, the Strawberry Fare, and it gives them another family outside of their family.
‘‘The community sees cadets as a really good thing. Organisations like the Red Cross give us courses — we’re about to do a child psychology first aid one for free. It’s worth about $1000 each and we will be the first in the whole of New Zealand to do it.
‘‘Anything I can do to help them, I will do, because it’s not about me, it’s about them.’’
Rowallan Scout Group leader Judy Mitchell said the collaboration came about through a discussion at a barbecue.
‘‘We are always looking for something different to do that we haven’t done before with the kids and a couple of us were . . . doing a barbecue and the person I was doing it with knew Mark, who came along, and we struck up a conversation.
‘‘He said his cadets were looking for something to do with a younger group of kids, so it all came together quite nicely.’’
She said it was a great opportunity for the Cubs.
‘‘It was good for them to see what a different youth organisation does.
‘‘I think it would be really good to do this sort of thing again, or another form of it if they are keen to host it again.’’
Ms Mitchell said it was important for children to take part in some type of youth organisation.
‘‘It gives them great social skills, great life skills, and just generally teaches them a lot of new things along the way.
‘‘Certainly, for some kids, the social side is really important as it gets them out and about outside of school, which can be important.’’
On reflection of the evening, Lt Wheatley said they maybe made the course a little too easy for the Cubs.
‘‘It definitely could have been a little more challenging for them, to be fair. They did a lot better than I thought.
‘‘The leaders said they’d probably be a little bit lively, but they were great. They did exactly as I said.’’
He said he’d love to do another joint event in the future.
‘‘It’s good for them. When they get home, they’re going to be buzzing. They’ll be asked in school what they did last night, and instead of saying they played on the Xbox, they’ll be able to say they did this.
‘‘I’ve already had another Cub leader ask me about doing one for them as well.’’
The night of fun concluded with Lt Wheatley leading the Cubs in a march, much to the amusement of the group leaders and parents attending.
