Two volunteers from Sussex Army Cadet Force have been personally honoured by King Charles and the British Army for their efforts in delivering youth services to the young people of Sussex in the Military Division of the Kings Birthday Honours List 2025, published on 14 June 2025.
Major William “Bill” Welsh from Shoreham by Sea has been a volunteer with Sussex Army Cadet Force for over 40 years, joining the organisation in November 1982. In four decades, he has helped over 12,000 young Cadets from Sussex, aged between 12 and 18, reach their full potential through the military and adventurous training offered by the Army Cadets from their bases in East and West Sussex. In addition, Bill has fundraised tens of thousands of pounds for National and local Armed Forces Veteran’s charities, including Blind Veterans UK, Care for Veterans and Models for Heroes (a charity founded to meet challenge of PTSD). He has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his lifetime’s efforts of helping others.
Lieutenant Peter Cooke from Worthing was also honoured to receive a 3 Star General Officer Commanding Commendation from the British Army in recognition of his skilled and talented delivery of training for local Cadets. Peter is the Training Officer for Delta Company and has spent the past eight years voluntarily transforming the delivery of citizenship training to over nine hundred young people in Central Sussex, against a backdrop of decreasing budgets and a shrinking resource pool. Despite this, he has produced nearly one thousand young people who are entering British society, highly trained in citizenship and infused with the Values and Standards of the British Army.
The Commanding Officer of Sussex Army Cadet Force, Colonel James Morris, said: “I am delighted that both Major Welsh and Lieutenant Cooke have been nationally recognised for their dedication and service to Sussex ACF. It is truly a great day for Sussex Army Cadet Force and the wider Army Cadet Force as an organisation.”