If it’s lunch why not just take a packed one, which eliminates the problem.
Ah yes, my three day old sandwiches at the end of DofE are always the highlight!
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Especially the tuna sandwich. I find it has a certain piquancy after three days in the backpack in summer
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Well since you aren’t eligible to claim at Fairbourne on the night there is no catering and it has to be sourced by the Camp I would say your out of luck.
Volunteering allowances according to HMRC.
Pay and expenses
You are not paid for your time as a volunteer, but you may get money to cover expenses. This is usually limited to food, drink, travel or any equipment you need to buy.
You may need to pay tax on your driving expenses if you get back more than you spent.
You might be classed as an employee or worker rather than a volunteer if you get any other payment, reward or benefit in kind. This includes any promise of a contract or paid work in the future.
You get certain employment rights if you’re classed as an employee or worker, like getting the minimum wage.
But going the other way we would receive funding for feeding cadets on self catered camps other wise known as CILOR…
This was always against the cadets personal contribution. Unsure if the Free Feeder rate was increased.
For those not in the know
Cash In Lou Of Rations…
Bit of a grave dig - but just got back from camp and OC Home is pee’d off at the costs accrued due to messing.
Done a number of CCF Central Camps in past years and all messing and accom paid for, not a penny spent. Suffice to say she was expecting rather more left from the VA at the end of this blue camp 
We are getting done over folks.
Sorry what…
Who pays for that?
That’s paid for out of VA in ATC world.
Welcome to the real world…
God i would love to come home with 7 or 8 days VA every camp!!
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Use army accommodation. They don’t change any messing.
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Army pay for it. So I presume RAF could pay for us too, should they desire to.
Go on CCF Central Camp, give time, pay nothing, get all VA.
Go on Blue Camp, give time, pay accom, pay messing, get some VA.
Both are the real world, just different experiences.
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I thought you only paid the basic daily messing rate as uniform CFAV?
Nope, needed to pay for accomodation too.
The issue (as mentioned before in my case) is that you pay up front to claim back later through the VA effectively. Finances are tight in the current world and silly me only has experience of Central Camp up to now. Bit of a shocker to be explaining to the bosslady how I just paid the RAF to volunteer my time for a week - this being how it is seen.
Also having no answer as to why Army pay for CFAVs messing and accom but RAF do not.
I am now under some pressure to hang up my hat, taking the shine off of what has been a tough but rewarding week.
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ACP 20 PI 308 para 14 says you can request VA to be paid in advance of an activity under certain circumstances. Worth a read.
Honestly I think this org needs to bin off VA, and just focus on actually paying our expenses properly…
45p/mile, food and accom fully covered etc etc.
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Lets be real here, accommodation is like 50p a day and messing is per meal but total is like £5 per day.
VA is £35+ per day depending on rank. So even as a Sgt you’re still getting £30 a day for VOLUNTEERING, for what is actually your hobby.
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Found, currently using as a shield to protect my hobby haha! Will be using next go around, whenever that should be.
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You Sir do not know the circumstances of my personal finances, and should not presume to do so.
But as a starting point consider that a weeks unpaid costs many people more than the VA returned.
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Except I have to pay tax on my VA at the upper rate and it causes chaos with my tax code on my day job when I claim it.
It’s ridiculous that if I book accommodation at an army training area to run an AT Camp no one pays any messing, but if I use a NACATC I have to charge the Cadets an extra £15 for the week at Camp and my volunteers are paying £6 a day to volunteer.
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I think you miss his point.
Even covering your mess bill even the lowest VA rate far outstrips the cost of accommodation and food.
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