Army Cadet leader receives OBE at palace (From Times Series)

Army Cadet leader receives OBE at palace

9:48am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Top Stories By Natalie O'Neill

An Army Cadet leader received an OBE at Buckhingham Palace for his 34 years of service to the force.

Colonel Ian Denison, former Commandant of the Middlesex and North West London Army Cadets, was handed his OBE by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday.

Colonel Denison said: “It’s a great personal honour to be recognised in this way, but my achievements make only a small contribution to the team that makes the Army Cadet Force such an excellent organisation for young people.

“The real powerhouse of the movement is in all the detachments, scattered all over London, where the cadet experience is delivered so expertly every week.”

He joined the Army Cadet Force as a leader in 1977 and was posted to the Chelsea Detachment based at the Duke of York’s Headquarters, before moving to North London in 2006. He served as Deputy Commandant and then Commandant for various areas across the capital, including Barnet.

Colonel Denison, from Ashford, said: “Over the past 34 years I have had a great time, met a large number of life-long friends and attended every one of the two-week camps each summer but, most importantly, I hope that I’ve played a small part in developing numerous young people into being better citizens.

“I have really enjoyed everything I have done in all the various roles that I have held within the ACF.”

In January he was appointed as a training advisor at the National Cadet Training Centre in Frimley Park, Surrey.