Recap…
December 2022 TK announced no more civvie teams. RAFAC participation to be restricted to Military team participation only - with substantial threat of any staff & cadets involved in forming “unofficial road marching teams” being sanctioned severely - ie kicked out!
TK is reported to have suggested that BMC would be asked if they would consider increasing the number of slots for RAFAC in light of this - seemingly unaware that it’s not as simple as “asking”.
Over the last few years, the number of spaces offered to the cadet forces by BMC has greatly reduced each year. This is because BMC couldn’t fill their annual allocation due to overseas commitments - so made more spaces available to cadets.
Until it all kicked off with Ukraine / Russia, the word was that BMC wanted to be able t9 prioritise slots for service personnel over cadets.
BMC spaces taken up by service personnel presents less headaches for the BMC staff.
There has also been a perceived increase in the number of spaces being taken up by the ACF rather than RAFAC…
First port of call for official information should be your Wing or Region Road Marching Officer of your squadron staff can’t give you any answers.
During the recent update regarding a pause of certain “National Level Activities” including super camps etc, Nijmegen was identified as being moved off of HQAC responsibility and into Region hands.
Since then, I’ve yet to hear from any friends around the country of anything firm - so it will be interesting to hear about what’s in the briefing that @themajor has tagged.
If your Wing or Region has no plans to participate, then the next best option would be to contact your next closest - but bear in mind, there are JUST 100 places! Kent Wing and Middlesex alone historically have been cable of sending that many cadets and staff when civvy teams were allowed!
The alternative might be to go privately as an individual. The youngest participants at Nijmegen are 11…!
The youngest RAFAC cadets on civvy teams was 14, the youngest for military is 16.
Going Military will mean being part of a team and all that goes with it - but having the cost SUBSTANTIALLY SUBSIDISED, with everything all planned out for you - and of course, staying at Kamp Heumensoord.
If you are over 18… you could simply go, by yourself…
The BDWF - British Dutch Walking Fellowship have historically had a strong relationship with RAFAC and have hosted many civvie teams over the years, They block book a sports hall that is segregated by gender and provide very comfortable beds.
Accommodation is available from Saturday to Saturday, with most members arriving Sunday afternoon.
Meals are provided from Monday, to include (continental) Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
A pre-walk foot-taping service as well as three rest points with refreshments (and hot, fresh soup at RP3) and first aid support - plus post walk blister and first aid treatment nightly - and to make life as simple as lossible( they also have shuttle buses to take you to and from the city centre for the start and finish!
You will need to salt range your own travel to and from Nijmegen - either fly to Schipol and get the train to Nijmegen (very easy) or, Eurostar from St Pancras or Folkestone International to Brussels, then change for a train to Nijmegen…
(Although I haven’t investigated it, I’m confident that there is a FlixBus service from London Victoria to Amsterdam and onward to Nijmegen…)
Plane / Eurostar and local train connection both work out quite similar in price at around £150 rtn pp
The BDWF is a not-for-profit or “mutual” organisation, that seeks to minimise costs for its members. Some of these costs won’t be known until fairly late on - but, last year staying from Sunday to Saturday, with food, shuttle buses, Rest Area and first aid support, the price was £470 - having recently spoken to them for an indication of how much it will be this year - they’re hoping to maintain that price is as close to it as possible.
Anyone who has gone military will know that the combined cost of travel and the BDWF package is MUCH dearer than going military.
Your Wing / Region Civ Coms “might” be able to assist with funding in light of the shortfall of military spaces this year - or be able to help assist you with making grant applications for sponsorship.
If you are under 18 and want to go independently…the BDWF will insist that you have a chaperone - be it a parent, guardian or other responsible adult that will walk with you and be responsible for you during your stay.
Here’s the complicated bit… you have to walk a minimum “regulation” distance based on your age and gender. Take a look at the 4Daagse.nl website for details.
Essentially - if you are Male and were born between 2006 and 2008 or 1965 and 1974, then you have to walk the 4x 40km. If you, or someone in your group / “team” was born between 1975 and 2005 and you all want / need to walk together, then you will all have to walk 4x 50km.
There are other age bands for walking 4x 30km and being female also helps - so rather than be detail it all here - just take a look on the website.
The 4Daagse.nl website is very informative - and there is a toggle button at the top of the screen to swap the language from Dutch to English!
Registration via the 4Daagse.nl website for the Vierdaagse Nijmegen March begins in just a few weeks time (expected to be 23rd January or thereabouts) - hence why RAFAC need to hurry up and get info out, so that those not going military can potentially sort their own entry out!
If you have participated and completed a Nijmegen March previously - or - you are entering a team, you will be able to apply in the first registration period (dates tba - expected to be @ 23rd January for 3 weeks).
You will need your previous registration “Walker” number, to apply. If you have forgotten it, the organisers can help you find it.
There is expected to be 47,000 spaces available again. Spaces will go on a first come first served basis. The first registration period will remain open for about 3/4 weeks or until all 47,000 spaces have been filled - which ever comes first. (It’s unlikely to sell out in the first wave, but could…)
Any remaining spaces will then be made available to all-comers, to include first time individual entries; in a second registration period, likely to commence the week after and run for a further 3/4 weeks - or until the 47,000 capacity has been filled.
The ballot process was removed last year.
I hope this gives you some useful information.
Going back to the BDWF - there is usually about 150 members walking at Nijmegen, with members completing everything from their 1st to their 30th event. There will be dozens walking each of the distances; with plenty of friendly faces that you’ll see each day - all of whom are very supportive and encouraging.
Oh - and there’s a terraced sports bar upstairs at the sports bar - the meals are tasty and served in huge portions - you certainly won’t go hungry!
