Falklands War Veteran, Simon Weston CBE, joined the students at The Wellington Academy recently to commemorate Armed Forces Day, where he spoke about the life changing injuries he suffered during the conflict and joined in with some classroom activities.

It is now 40 years since the start of the Falklands War, which saw Britain and Argentina battle for control of the islands.

Showing support for the Armed Forces on Armed Forces Day provides a much-valued morale boost for troops, which is important given that many students at the Wellington Academy in Tidworth come from military families.

Rob Wood, senior deputy headteacher, said: “Our vision for pupils of The Wellington Academy is to produce young adults who are ambitious, inquisitive and independent, and they demonstrated this with the questions they posed to Simon.

“Simon not only spoke about the horrific injuries, but he also talked about the recovery process and how since that time he has gone on to make the very most of every opportunity life has given him. This message of resilience and determination resonated with our students.”

A Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is an important aspect of life at the Wellington Academy, which is part of the Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust. The CCF is a voluntary youth organisation based in schools and colleges sponsored by the Military of Defence (MoD). It is known as the ‘combined’ cadet force because it can comprise of the three service sections – the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force.

Students can learn about the Armed Forces through the CCF and develop their leadership skills through training which promotes the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance and perseverance.

The Wellington Academy CCF is sponsored by 26 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers and proudly wears the Sapper cap-badge.

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