The Lord-Lieutenant of Fife, Robert Balfour, has officially opened the new Army Cadet Force building at Newport-on-Tay.
Cadets and adults of Angus and Dundee Battalion’s Newport Detachment will use the facility, and several of them were present for the opening – held in accordance with COVID-19 social distancing measures.
The £330,000 building was a first for Highland RFCA, being a modular design specifically built for installation on the site of former Spooner huts. It was designed to the specifications of the ACF and HRFCA by Jam Studios in Aberdeen and made and installed by Elite Modular Buildings Solutions.
It forms one part of HRFCA’s £1.4 million programme of cadet building replacements. This year saw a similar build and installation taking place at Bo’ness.
Opening the building, the Lord-Lieutenant said: “It gives me great pleasure to open this new cadet hut for the Newport Detachment of the Angus and Dundee Battalion of the Army Cadet Force. It is a great credit to the Estates Team of Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association that the project has been completed within the many restrictions, delays and frustrations produced by COVID-19, and I thank you for sticking to the task.
“It will undoubtedly result in a significant improvement in the cadet experience for those cadets and adult volunteers who had previously been training in tired and poor quality buildings.”
The Lord-Lieutenant – who had a chance to speak to cadets following a socially distanced tour of the building – also acknowledged the work being done by the Adult Volunteers without whom, he said, “there would be no Army Cadet Force”.
Colonel Ewan Marshall, Commandant Angus and Dundee Battalion ACF, thanked the Lord Lieutenant for opening the building.
He added: “I’d also like to thank Highland RFCA for funding this much-needed and most welcome detachment. From our perspective we didn’t envisage the detachment being ready this side of 2020, so we are extremely grateful to Highland RFCA for pushing through to completion during some very, very tight restrictions.
“The new detachment will enable a better cadet experience for all and will be a welcome asset for the community. I’d like to thank the cadets and, in particular, our amazing adult volunteers for their patience and perseverance during the rebuild. Welcome home.”
Also present at the November 26 opening were Newport Detachment Commander 2Lt Charlene Smith and HRFCA Chief Executive Brigadier (Retd) Mark Dodson.
