It has been a busy year on the ET front with most of the allocated weekends engaged in activities.  Over Easter a Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Level Training Expedition was run for the Northants and Leicester District.  In May the Bronze Expedition was completed on a weekend where 34 cadets and 8 staff undertook training and assessment.  Five Staff and
9 Cadets were upgraded or awarded ET qualifications. Most of the other
cadets were awarded their Basic or Proficiency grade.

In June I took a party of six cadets and one staff member from Hinckley Unit on a Wild Country introduction weekend in North Wales. The cadets enjoyed the weekend learning mountain skills and navigating in bad visibility. 
Although no grades were given two cadets were awarded there Proficiency badge.

The Area ET Challenge was held at Cosgrove in Northamptonshire where thirteen teams took part.  The standard of entry is getting better and the teams from Districts which hold their own Challenges seem to do best, so good training and experience are best.  For 2006 I plan to run a number of assessment weekends for staff wishing to qualify for all grades both in the north and south of the area.  If space is available these will be open to
personnel who have no experience in ET but would like to begin training.  Those who wish to upgrade to EL3 should note that the assessment is over two weekends.  If there is demand I am prepared to run a basic EL2
Introduction / Training weekend for those staff who wish to gain experience in Class B country.  A Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Standard Expedition is planned to be run at the end of May by my Chief
Instructor so look out for details.

Please remember I am a member of a Mountaineering Club who hold
weekends away on the first Friday of each month.  If staff  would like to gain wild country experience they are welcome to attend these  weekends.  If you need help in running an ET course please contact me.

S F WOODWARD
LT CDR (SCC) RNR
ASO (ET&ML)