Central Bedfordshire Council news and press releases

HM Lord-Lieutenant’s cadets ready for service

Tuesday, 8 October 2019

HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis, recently appointed her cadets for 2019/2020 at a ceremony held at Flitwick and Ampthill Sea Cadet Unit by kind permission of Chairman Nigel Cross.

Dignitaries present at the ceremony included:

  • High Sheriff of Bedfordshire, Meryl Dolling
  • Deputy Mayor of Luton, Councillor Maria Lovell
  • Chairman of Central Bedfordshire Council, Councillor Brian Saunders
  • Mayor of Flitwick, Councillor Philip Thompson
  • Chief Fire Officer, Paul Fuller CBE QFSM MStJ DL
  • Chief Constable, Garry Forsyth
  • President of St John Ambulance, Anthony Duggan OBE

They were joined at the ceremony by:

  • Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Colonel Chris Sharwood-Smith MBE
  • representatives from the various cadet organisations
  • deputy lieutenants
  • cadets’ family members and friends

The role of the Lord-Lieutenant’s cadets is to support the Lord-Lieutenant in carrying out her duties and their selection and appointment acknowledges their outstanding contribution to their cadet service and to the community.

Lord-Lieutenant and cadets

Photo left to right: Cadet Sergeant Leah Flores, Cadet Warrant Officer Louise Keetley, Leading Cadet Kate Travers, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Helen Nellis, Fire Cadet Ryan Harper, Cadet Sergeant Harilaos Karavaggelis and Leading Cadet Elisabeth Allison.

This year’s cadets are:

  • Leading Cadet Elisabeth Allison (Flitwick and Ampthill Sea Cadets)
  • Cadet Sergeant Leah Flores (Beds and Herts Army Cadet Force)
  • Cadet Sergeant Harilaos Karavaggelis (Bedford School Combined Cadet Force)
  • Cadet Warrant Officer Louise Keetley (Sandy Air Training Corps)
  • Fire Cadet Ryan Harper (Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service)
  • Leading Cadet Kate Travers (St John Ambulance)

The Lord-Lieutenant’s cadets are the finest of the many talented young people in the cadet forces within Bedfordshire. They are excellent leaders and a credit to their organisations and to the county.

Speaking after the commissioning, Lord-Lieutenant Helen Nellis said:

It is always a pleasure to work alongside some of the finest young people in Bedfordshire. I am delighted to commission seven new Lord-Lieutenant cadets who follow in the footsteps of the extraordinary Lord-Lieutenant cadets who have supported me for the past eight years. I am looking forward to the year ahead and watching them flourish.