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‘Five-star’ Barney celebrates continued CCF success!

We are delighted to share the incredible news that Sylvan T, one of our Year 11 students, has been awarded a prestigious honour!

Sylvan, a member of Barney’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF), has been recruited by North Yorkshire’s Lord-Lieutenant, Mrs Johanna Ropner, as one of her cadets for 2023.

This latest success marks the fifth pupil from our School to be appointed a Lord-Lieutenant cadet since 2021, an unprecedented achievement for our CCF contingent. This latest accomplishment adds to our five ‘Master Cadet’ accreditations over the same period.

The Lord-Lieutenant appoints cadets to act as ‘batmen’ as she performs a host of duties that could include meeting visiting members of the Royal Family and presenting medals and awards on behalf of King Charles III.

Sylvan was sworn into the role at a ceremony this week, having passed a rigorous selection process and impressing at interviews.

He has been a member of Barney’s CCF for two years, which has given him valuable life experiences, including first aid training and being a flag bearer at last year’s Remembrance Day parade.

Commenting on his appointment, Sylvan said: “In just two years, the CCF has taught me fantastic life lessons, including leadership, humility and resilience. It is an honour to represent my King, county and Barnard Castle School at such a high level as a Lord-Lieutenant Cadet.

“Beyond Sixth Form at Barney, I hope to attend Sandhurst and forge a long, successful career in the Armed Forces, and this honour stands me in good stead to achieve this goal.

“The opportunities I am going to receive and events I will be privy to in this role are very exciting, and I am looking forward to continuing my development in the CCF over the coming years.”

Lieutenant Colonel Caroline Connor, Head of Barney’s CCF, added: “I am thrilled for Sylvan, who surpasses the cadet values and standards, and possesses natural leadership skills. This accreditation is thoroughly deserved, and I could not be more proud of his efforts in just a short amount of time in the contingent. “It has been a hugely successful period for Barnard Castle School’s CCF in recent years, with many of our cadets achieving prestigious honours that are a direct consequence of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers, who continually go above and beyond.”