New fire cadet unit to open in Fakenham

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has opened applications for a new fire cadet unit at Fakenham Fire Station, giving young people the chance to experience life in the fire service.

The Fakenham unit will become the fourth fire cadet group in the county, joining existing units in Diss, Hunstanton and Wymondham. Each unit offers weekly drill nights at local fire stations, giving cadets hands-on experience of firefighting skills and teamwork.

The new unit, which will have space for 15 cadets, has been made possible through £28,000 of funding from the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), as part of a £500,000 national grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to expand fire cadet schemes. The award was the largest single grant issued for one cadet unit in the UK.

Cadets learn practical skills including hose running, ladder safety and first aid, while also developing self-discipline, teamwork and citizenship. Participants receive a uniform, work towards recognised awards and support the service at community and national events.

Cllr Margaret Dewsbury, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for communities and partnerships, said the new unit represented “a marvellous opportunity” for young people, adding that the fire cadet programme teaches valuable life skills regardless of future career plans.

Group Manager Terry Pinto, who oversees the fire cadet programme for NFRS, said reopening a unit in Fakenham was also significant historically, as the town hosted the UK’s first fire cadet unit in 1984. He encouraged young people from across the county to apply and “try something they haven’t done before”.

NFRS is inviting 13 to 17-year-olds across Norfolk to register their interest in joining the new unit, which is due to open later this year. Applications close on 9 February.

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