The award recognises those among the Reserve Forces and Cadet community, whose performance is exceptional. Recipients must be seen to show outstanding examples of leadership, commitment, innovation and enduring performance in post. It will is approved by the Cabinet Office highlighting the scale of this achievement. Nigel, a School Staff instructor for the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), was nominated last year for the award. He will attend the Northamptonshire Lord-Lieutenant awards ceremony on 18^th October, where he will receive this prestigious prize.

Nigel has been part of our BWT family since 2003, initially working as a Design Technology teacher, having previously served for 22 years in the Royal Marines.

When the position of ‘School Staff Instructor’ for the Trust’s CCF became available, he stood down from his Design Technology teaching role to apply for it, where he was successful in securing the post, and quickly became the backbone of the CCF.

When asked about the significance of the award, Nigel explained: “The Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificate is recognised throughout the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and ranks second only to the Queen’s Honours Lists. The fact that it is presented in a civic forum, gives due profile to the CCF and its contribution to Defence and society, as a whole. It’s an incredible honour for me, both professionally and personally.”

Nigel continued: “The team at Brooke Weston Trust, in particular Andrew Campbell, have always supported me, not only to help establish and grow the CCF unit here but to share my knowledge and experience with the wider school community.”

When asked how the award nomination came about, Nigel explained that he was nominated by his Contingent Commander, Matt Isherwood, CCF officer and former Estates Director of BWT.

Matt said: “A single sentence cannot describe the wealth of service that Nigel has given to CCF in his role as School Staff Instructor. I was thrilled to hear that the years of discretionary effort that he gave without ever expecting anything in return was recognised by the office of the Lord Lieutenant.

“Once a Royal Marine, always a Royal Marine”, Nigel lives by the Commando values, spirit & mindset, he is an example to all” concluded Matt.

Nigel explained that the CCF at BWT brings together 127 students from Kettering Science Academy, Brooke Weston Academy, Corby Technical School and Corby Business Academy. These young people experience the benefits of belonging to a bigger community where skills such as resilience and confidence are developed, with many opportunities to become leaders and instructors within the CCF. The unit has been involved in CCF parades for over nine years.

The Combined Cadet Forces are sponsored by the Ministry of Defence to provide “a disciplined organisation in a school, so that pupils can develop powers of leadership”. Although not overtly a recruiting ground, around 5% of CCF cadets choose ‘services’ careers, many part-funded through universities like Durham and Oxford.

Nigel explained: "The CCF at BWT focuses on empowering our young people to build their confidence and learn more about themselves. Our cadets are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, with experiences that stretch them, such as infantry fieldcraft, military exercises, map reading and skill at arms."

Andrew Campbell has always championed the CCF and shared his delight in Nigel’s nomination, saying: “My heartfelt congratulations to Nigel! He has been invaluable in helping to establish and sustain the CCF here at BWT, which is a very important part of our community. I don’t know where we’d be without his expertise.”

Nigel concluded: “It is a privilege to be part of BWT’s CCF. Helping our young people develop their resilience, independence and leadership skills is very rewarding and is something I’m truly passionate about.”

A credit to our Trust. Well done Nigel!