ACCT UK

ACCT UK is a national youth charity, dedicated to improving the life chances of young people through the Army Cadet Force.

13/08/2026

KENT DOWNS 50 ULTRA CHALLENGE®
SAT 10 OCTOBER 2026

An end of season Ultra Challenge in the ‘Garden of England’. A basecamp near Maidstone, join up to 2,000 adventurers and you can take it on at your pace as a walk, jog, or run – and fundraise for ACCT UK! The 50km looped route heads anticlockwise on the North Downs Way to Blue Bell Hill, following the River Medway to Mote Park at halfway for a picnic. Along the Len Valley Walk to the majestic Leeds Castle, and the North Downs Way back to the showground finish line.

Sign up as an individual or as a team; you’ll get full support all the way, plenty of food & drink, optional camping & transfers, a special medal, T shirt and celebration finish. With 25km & 10km options also available – there’s a challenge for everyone!

Push yourself further in 2026, take on an Ultra Challenge – the UK’s No.1 Series of treks & trail challenges!
• Walk, Jog, or Run
• 50km, ~25km, 10km Options
• Food & Drink
• Medal & T Shirt

Visit ACCT UK's website and search for CHALLENGE EVENTS to sign up.

12/08/2026

With summer camp season underway, cadets and adult volunteers across the country are taking on new challenges and enjoying everything camp has to offer.

But even the busiest camp days need some downtime.

ACCT UK is proud to have supported Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force with funding for wellness equipment, supporting the setup of a wellness space where cadets can relax, recharge, and take a moment for themselves.

Our grants programme helps fund equipment and projects that support all areas of the cadet experience.

Did you know any member of the ACF can apply for an ACCT UK grant? And there's no limit to the number of grants an ACF county can apply for.

Find out more and explore our grant programmes on our website.

11/08/2026

As part of our Duke of Edinburgh's Award focus this August, we're bringing you highlights from the latest Gold DofE Residential trip to the Isle of Tiree.

Last month, a group of Gold DofE cadets joined the isle's team for a jam-packed residential. During their stay, they:

🐠 Discovered the importance of the island's wildlife on a boat trip
🌊 Took part in beach cleans across the island
🐄 Got to know the locals, both two-legged and four-legged
🗺️ Learned about the history of Tiree
🩹 Put their first aid skills into practice in scenarios led by Dr Clare

The cadets finished the trip with a special day of remembrance around the Isle of Tiree, where they paid their respects at the Commonwealth War Graves and memorials dedicated to those from the island who gave their lives in war.

Thanks to the dedication of our fundraising community, ACCT UK can help provide cadets with opportunities like this residential experience.

Follow our social media channels throughout August to learn more about the relationship between DofE, Army Cadets, and ACCT UK.

DofE in the Army Cadets

07/08/2026

The ACCT UK team are loving the 2026 summer camp season!

Earlier this week, some of the team visited the cadets from Kent Army Cadet Force who used ACCT UK's grant programme to fund professional instructors to lead their adventurous training!

Using their own adventure training equipment, the county provided:
✅ 2* cadets with two days of training in four activities: paddleboarding, kayaking, climbing/abseiling and mountain biking. Providing the 2* cadets with the opportunity to learn foundation skills and safety aspects of each activity in 4 half-day sessions.

✅ 3* cadets two days of training in their choice of one activity, including paddleboarding, kayaking and mountain biking. Providing the 3* cadets with the opportunity to build on foundational skills and develop focus on a single activity.

The county's Commandant Phillips explained that using an ACCT UK grant this way has been an efficient way to provide his cadets with a professional level of adventure training.

Find out what ACCT UK's grant programme can do for your county on our website.

06/08/2026

Help us wish Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Army Cadet Force's Cadet Staff Sergeant King the best of luck as she prepares to take on the 3-Peaks challenge later this month.

Lily, who has already participated in an ACCT UK fundraising event this summer, will set off at 6am to begin the 24-hour challenge of climbing Mount Snowdon, Scafell Pike, and Ben Nevis.

Wish SSgt King good luck in the comments, or search 'Three peaks challenge-24 hours' on Givestar to help her meet her fundraising goal!

Good luck, Lily, and thank you for supporting ACCT UK. 👏

05/08/2026

A big thank you to Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force's Kidlington Detachment for choosing to support ACCT UK at their recent community day!

Choosing to use the day as part of Cadet Challenge 2026, the cadets from Oxfordshire ACF organised a wet sponge throwing fundraiser, demonstrated skills from the cadet syllabus, and spoke to members of the public about the ways ACCT UK helps cadets access life-changing opportunities.

What a fantastic way to fundraise in the sunshine! ☀️

04/08/2026

Did you know Army Cadets were some of the first participants to take part in the pilot Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme?

That's why, in August, we're celebrating the relationship between Army Cadets and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award as the award celebrates its 70th anniversary year!

Discover the top 7 ways ACCT UK supports cadets and adult volunteers as they participate in the scheme, and follow along for more DofE content this August.

03/08/2026

Good luck to Sussex Army Cadet Force's Cadet Hopwood as she supports ACCT UK this month during her South Downs Way fundraising walk.

Allie and her mum will be walking the 100 miles to give back to the ACF Community. Cadet Hopwood, who will be carrying 7-days worth of kit on the walk, explained why supporting ACCT UK is important to her:

"These funds will not only help benefit ACF teaching environments but also help cadets access more exciting experiences we, as young people, would likely never have the opportunity of doing."

Wish Cadet Hopwood good luck in the comments below, or support her fundraiser through her gofundme page 'Support the army cadet force development and achievements'.

Good luck, Allie, and thank you for choosing to support ACCT UK!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

31/07/2026

Today marks the end of an era for many of us here at ACCT UK as our Honours and Awards Manager, Alan Sharkey MBE TD, retires after a lifetime of service.

Alan, who began working with The ACFA (Army Cadet Force Association - now ACCT UK) in 1983, has been paramount in championing the positive actions of cadets and adult volunteers by recognising and rewarding their contributions to wider society.

Through Alan’s leadership, dedication, and encouragement, he has shaped and developed the Honours and Awards role into a valued part of the Army Cadet community. Alan’s support has left a lasting impact on generations of cadets and adult volunteers across the UK.

With gratitude and admiration, everyone at ACCT UK and the wider Army Cadet Force community thanks him for his outstanding service and wishes him every success and happiness in his retirement.

Happy Retirement, Alan!

Read Alan's story, in his own words, via the link in the comments 👇

Address

Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street
London
EC2A4DW

Telephone

+442074268377

Website

http://www.acctuk.org/

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